


The Captain and The Soldier

by dbzkink



Series: Love and Nameks [1]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Anal, Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Backstory, Blow Jobs, Boys In Love, Come Shot, Come as Lube, Comeplay, Falling In Love, First Love, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, Gay, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Headcanon, Hermaphrodites, Lemon, Love, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, Namekian World-Building, OC that isn't a Mary Sue, Oral Sex, Romance, Saiyans, Secret Relationship, Secret Sex, Sex, Shameless Smut, Shower Sex, Smut, Tails, Top Vegeta (Dragon Ball), True Love, Vegeta (Dragon Ball) vs Feelings, cum kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:00:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 70,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23704279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbzkink/pseuds/dbzkink
Summary: *Prequel to The Namek*In the lead-up to coming to Earth the first time, Vegeta's political life on the military base on Frieza's homeworld makes it difficult for Vegeta to have an actual life. When a Namek soldier catches his eye, Vegeta starts a secret relationship with him and has to decide whether it's worth the risk.
Relationships: Nappa/Raditz (Dragon Ball), Vegeta (Dragon Ball)/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Love and Nameks [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717183
Comments: 30
Kudos: 20





	1. Training Exercises

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always welcome! Thanks for reading!!
> 
> Explicit gay sex ahead, don't like, don't read.  
> This is a prequel to one of my other long fics, The Namek, which I wrote first. I kept thinking about Vegeta's life before, and his relationship that led him to be who and where he was at the beginning of The Namek, and pretty soon, I'd written another whole fic. This Vegeta might seem OOC but since it's pre-DBZ I can do what I want :D I think being beaten on Earth profoundly shifted Vegeta's perception of himself, as did the events on Namek. So I like to imagine what Vegeta might've been like before he developed his horrible arrogance as a self-protective measure to prop up his fragile ego and destroyed self-worth. I'm also more of a Vegeta-from-the-manga person and I think the anime-Vegeta is more over-the-top in his obnoxious narcissism, so this is probably an even bigger diversion from anime-Veggie.  
> Also I have no idea if Vegeta even had a rank, but I chose to use captain because it seemed sexy to say, whereas saying, "Oh, Lieutenant Colonel..." was hard to get excited about.  
> This story also has my headcanon hermaphroditic Namek anatomy from all my other Namek fics.

Vegeta startled when he walked into his mission briefing and the sexy, young Namek was there. The Namek met Vegeta’s eyes and lowered his own, letting them dart back up after a moment. A half-smile played on his green lips, but he kept it subdued. Vegeta’s heart raced. This Namek had been at another meeting the previous week: one of that idiot, Cui’s, strategy sessions. The Namek soldier had flirted shamelessly with Vegeta. Unabashedly. Brazenly. And Vegeta had been unable to stop thinking about it.

Here, like a gift, a rare bit of good fortune, the Namek reappeared, assigned to Vegeta’s current mission. It was clear the Namek (Talon, he introduced himself as, letting his eyes linger on Vegeta's again), believed that Vegeta had pulled some strings to get him on the mission. Vegeta had never pulled any strings, for anything, ever. Vegeta wanted no strings attached to anyone. But he didn’t mind if the Namek believed that.

Talon didn’t do any fighting. He was a base liaison, handling logistics and tech, managing any pre-planning. Vegeta preferred being set loose like a rabid dog when he hit the ground, but Frieza had been trying to rein him in lately, putting him on missions with teams and supplies. Tedium. Meetings. Frieza didn’t like what he had created when he turned Vegeta into a killing machine because now the machine ran on its own.

Vegeta survived the briefing by eyeballing the Namek’s wiry, lean physique, though to Talon’s credit, he managed to keep his face neutral. Talon mentioned casually to another member of the crew that he was looking forward to a couple days off after this job was complete. But he looked at Vegeta when he said it. Met his eyes and held them. Base liaisons had access to the personnel files of everyone, including their schedules. Vegeta had a couple days off after this mission, too.

The meeting adjourned. Everyone left, but Vegeta lingered, pretending to grumble about something on his scouter. When the door closed behind the last person, leaving Vegeta and Talon alone in the room with Talon’s holoboard as the only source of light, Vegeta stepped close to him. Talon was brazen again, looking Vegeta over like he was ready to tear his clothes off.

“Do you have an equally detailed plan for your days off, soldier? I also have those days off, but perhaps you already knew that,” Vegeta said.

The Namek canted his head with that maddening half-smile that Vegeta had been unable to forget, let his eyes crawl over Vegeta’s body, and said in a low voice, almost a purr, “I generally prefer to improvise as the situation demands. But if I had my way, Captain, it would likely be a whole lot of one thing, perhaps variations thereof.”

“Intriguing. If you do manage to formulate a base plan, I would be…interested…in hearing the details upon my return,” Vegeta said.

The lopsided smile bloomed, and Vegeta was hard-pressed not to kiss it right off Talon’s angular face. He said, “Of course, Captain. Though I confess I’m more of a hands-on man than an explainer. Perhaps I could show you, instead?”

“Excellent. I’m a hands-on man myself, soldier. I’ll look forward to your demonstration,” Vegeta said, trying to keep his own smirk from surfacing. He turned to leave.

“Captain?”

“Yes?”

“It’ll probably be rigorous. So save your strength.”

“You too, soldier: when I do training exercises, I go all out,” he said, letting his eyes roam over the sexy Namek. Then he left, unable to keep from smiling.

* * *

Vegeta’s blood was up during the entire week long mission. He wasn't sure he would’ve survived anything longer. The privacy of his pod was well used both to and from the job.

The moment he landed, he showered, then headed to the mess, knowing it would be crowded enough that where Vegeta sat wouldn't draw attention. He hoped Talon would be there. Vegeta had gotten back to base a few hours ahead of schedule.

He spotted the Namek and sat across from him. They made thinly veiled entendres that could be mission related to anyone listening, but weren’t. Talon said, “My thinking is that the space necessary for this type of training exercise might be more easily procured off-base.”

“Did you have some place in mind?” Vegeta said, keeping his face uninterested, but barely managing to keep his tail from unwrapping and lashing with excitement. He hadn’t had this much fun…maybe ever.

“I took the liberty of securing a site. I hope that wasn’t too bold. If you’ve finished on base, you might want to pack…training…equipment,” Talon had to look down to keep from grinning, “In quantity, I think. I can meet you by the northern gate and take you for an inspection in thirty minutes?”

“Does this facility have showers?”

“There are showers. The exercises are strenuous, requiring endurance and stamina, so showering will likely be necessary.”

Vegeta had never gone off base to get laid. Had never bothered to hide any of his sexual conquests. The barracks had squeaking beds every night and no one thought much about it. There were couples, too. Vegeta didn’t care if his one or two night stands were known or not. And it was never any more than that. His position in the Frieza Force, his royal blood, and the maneuvering of other players eager to usurp his position made entanglements dangerous for anyone Vegeta might enjoy enough to continue fucking. Thus far no one had been worth the effort of hiding.

He didn’t know if this sexy Namek soldier would be, but Talon did intrigue him and excite him more than anyone he’d ever met. The charade they were engaged in was fun. Enlivening. And Vegeta needed enlivening. His work and scheming had been exhausting lately. There had been so much drudgery. He also hadn’t gotten laid in weeks.

Talon left the mess, not even saying goodbye to Vegeta, and Vegeta’s tail hummed. Vegeta’s tail had never done that. He looked down at it to see if it the low vibrations were visible. They weren’t, and he was relieved. He finished eating, then returned to his locker, gathered a few things, and threw on his civilian clothes. Vegeta hated wearing civvies, so he chose the simplest garb possible to reduce the challenge of knowing what to wear. Black tank. Black pants. Both well-fitted, and black combat boots. No nonsense.

Vegeta thought he preferred his partners in uniform until he spotted the soldier in his civvies outside the gate, leaning against a wall. Talon looked delicious in his gauzy, bright, tangerine-colored shirt and tan, slinky trousers that clung in all the right places on his lithe ass and legs. Vegeta walked past Talon and he fell in step, then took the lead. They went on foot, rather than flying, and Vegeta liked that too. The tension built with each step.

“You were so subtle until that shirt,” Vegeta teased.

“And I hope you’re less boring than your clothes,” Talon quipped back, never missing a beat, but casting a half-smile over his shoulder at Vegeta. Vegeta missed being teased. He was too powerful for anyone to dare anymore. The soldier's fearlessness turned him on.

Once they were in the city proper, it was swarming. Vegeta trailed slightly behind Talon to a pleasant little room and board place that backed up to the lake at the center of the city. Talon said, “I’ve been assured this location has excellent soundproofing, Captain.”

“Important for all the varieties of training exercise I can imagine,” Vegeta said, feigning seriousness.

The proprietor, like nearly everyone on Cooler, clearly recognized Vegeta as Frieza’s main dog of war, her face opening up with fear. Most of the inhabitants were deferential to Vegeta, but he never abused it, as that repugnant Zarbon did. Vegeta paid in cash before Talon could even touch the currency transfer scanner. Vegeta gave the woman a large amount extra, making Talon’s eyes widen slightly, and gave her a long, threatening stare. “I value discretion in places I stay.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, and palmed the extra cash.

Vegeta’s heart pounded as they climbed the stairs to their room, and not from exertion. It overlooked the lakeside park, so it felt surprisingly idyllic for the center of the city. Vegeta wondered if Talon did this often enough to have a standing reservation, though the cost would be prohibitive for someone of Talon’s pay-grade. He was very good-looking though, so maybe his other lovers footed the bill too.

Vegeta closed the door and pushed Talon against the wall, sliding his hands under the bright shirt onto the bare skin of his slender, toned waist. Vegeta didn’t kiss him, not yet. He pushed his knee between Talon’s legs and whispered, “Mmm…well, what sort of exercises did you have in mind, soldier?” Vegeta couldn’t control his tail anymore and it unwound off his waist and lashed happily.

Talon rolled his hips against Vegeta’s and rasped, “As I mentioned,” he shoved his hand down Vegeta’s pants, gripped his cock, and twisted his hand up and down, “I’m a show kind of guy. _Very_ hands-on. Maybe even more than hands, if you’re amenable, Captain.”

Vegeta smirked and as he leaned to kiss the smile off Talon’s sexy mouth, he murmured, “Yes, I’m amenable. We’ll have to use everything at our disposal. And repetition is the key to mastery, don’t you think?” At last he kissed Talon and it was electric. Wildfire. Heady. One of Vegeta’s hands came up from Talon’s belly and onto his green jaw, his skin silky and hot.

Vegeta kissed the fiery Namek more, startled by the heat of him, and kissed and kissed and kissed. Vegeta had never known kissing could be its own goal until he kissed Talon. He loved kissing Talon. Talon continued stroking him and Vegeta let him for now, but he wanted to revel in kissing Talon. Vegeta had never wanted that before; he needed time to examine this new type of lust.

He lifted Talon effortlessly onto his hips, and Talon’s eyes glittered. Talon smiled, running his hands appreciatively over Vegeta’s muscular arms, and kissed Vegeta more. Then he said, “Captain, we may have to practice this maneuver later with less…interference.”

“An excellent suggestion, soldier,” Vegeta said, his mouth roaming down Talon’s neck, to the hollow at the base of his throat, up the other side, “I was promised showers at this facility, soldier, and I demand my men maintain proper hygiene.”

Talon kissed Vegeta with that perfect, lopsided smile. “Of course, Captain, to your right. Will there be an inspection?”

“Mmm…I should think so. During hygiene exercises and after. One can’t be too careful.”

Talon stifled a laugh by kissing Vegeta more. Vegeta carried Talon into a bathroom that revealed the true value of the suite. It had a large glassed in shower with multiple heads, one moveable, and a tub so luxurious Vegeta almost gaped. He hadn’t taken any sort of bath since he left Vegeta-sei.

He met Talon’s eyes and said, “Upon cataloging the equipment available, soldier, I have added new exercises to the regimen. I hope you conserved your strength this past week. We Saiyans can be a bit…nonstop.”

“I’ve heard in the mess that your people can be insatiable.”

“We are known for our appetites,” Vegeta murmured, kissing Talon more as he wrapped his arm under Talon’s ass so he didn’t have to set him down to take off Talon’s shirt. His freed hand undid the orange buttons slowly, and his fingers dragged down each newly exposed stretch of taut, hot, Namek abdomen. Vegeta had never touched a Namek before and aside from the heat, he marveled at the different textures of Talon’s skin. Vegeta liked that Talon breathed rapidly already, his cheeks flushed, his eyes sparkled, and Vegeta hadn’t even done anything to him yet. It was going to be fun to do things to him.

After the last button, he squatted to hold Talon on his hips without hands. The Namek laughed. He laughed easily, and Vegeta liked that too. He caressed Talon’s sides under his shirt, up onto his pecs, his thumbs grazing his hard, green nipples, then onto his shoulders. His hands flowed down Talon’s arms, muscular, but not big like Vegeta’s, and the shirt dropped to the floor.

Vegeta said, “My vision has returned, soldier, in the absence of the glowing cloaking device you employed to travel to this facility.”

“I couldn’t have you losing track of your liaison for this imperative mission.”

“Truly, you thought of all the details.” Vegeta gripped Talon’s ass and stood back up.

Talon’s hands snaked under Vegeta’s tank. He pushed it up, his mouth going slack. Vegeta squatted again to free his hands and helped Talon pull it over his arms and head.

Talon’s eyes were wide as he breathed, “Captain, that shirt was not regulation…and this,” he ran his hands over Vegeta’s torso, “this is definitely not standard issue. Holy fuck, not standard issue at all.” It was the first time Talon’s charade had faltered, and it only made Vegeta like the Namek more. He liked the way Talon took in his body, couldn’t stop touching it.

Vegeta growled, “Mmm…are there consequences for failing to meet these regulations? Will I have to be…” he paused and kissed Talon, “punished?”

Talon sucked Vegeta’s neck, dipped low, showing remarkable flexibility as he swirled his tongue around Vegeta’s nipple. “There are certainly consequences. Hard consequences.” Talon chortled, rolling his hips and his hard-on against Vegeta.

“I suppose I have to let you down if we’re going to complete our inspections. Our hygiene exercises.”

“True, but there’s no rush,” Talon whispered against his lips, “Better to be slow and thorough and complete than fast and slapdash and half-assed, don't you think, Captain?”

“I do prefer my inspections to be full-assed, not half, soldier,” Vegeta said, unable to keep a straight face.

“Is that a fact, Captain? I will be verifying that statement with my own…” Talon began to laugh, “with my own…” his face turned red, “with my own instruments,” he finally managed to finish chortling out.

Vegeta chuckled too, kissing Talon despite their mirth. His free hand toured the border of Talon's skin textures on his back.  Vegeta had never kissed this much in his life, total, let alone with one person. And still he wanted more. He feared he might always want more of Talon's kisses.

Talon plunged his hands into Vegeta's hair and uttered a soft, “Oh!”

Vegeta said, “What?”

“I expected it to be coarse.”

“Did you? You had expectations about my hair, soldier?” Vegeta said and continued speaking against Talon’s jaw as he kissed along it, “I have _mounting_ evidence that your bringing me here was not purely professional.”

“Oh my, you might have to report me to my superior officer,” Talon gasped.

“Indeed, I shall. What consequences do you think are entailed for this infraction?”

Talon met Vegeta’s eyes, sliding his arms around Vegeta’s neck and he said breathily, “Ooh…I think whatever the punishment is, it might bring me to my knees.”

“A fitting punishment for the disorder you’ve caused here. Missing shirts,” Vegeta rolled his own hips against Talon’s, “Anatomy run amok. Honestly, soldier, you’re probably going to be punished all day, possibly all night.”

Talon’s eyes danced as he sucked air in through his teeth and said, “Captain, the space for these exercises has been procured for _two_ nights—does that mean more punishment?”

Vegeta squeezed Talon’s ass, kissed him more, and growled, “I certainly hope so.”

“Mmm…me too. Nonstop, thorough, in-depth punishment.”

“Well said, soldier,” Vegeta gasped, reaching inside Talon’s pants to hold his bare ass under the light fabric. “Tut, tut, my inspection hadn’t even discovered all the infractions. This is not standard issue attire.”

Talon unbuttoned and unzipped his own pants and whispered, “How can you be sure, Captain, without a full inspection?”

Vegeta let Talon’s legs slide down his own, rocked his hips against Talon, and they gasped into each other’s mouths as they kissed more. Talon almost said Vegeta’s name, and just seeing his teeth press to his lower lip to make a “v” sound made Vegeta pant. His soldiers, aside from Nappa and Radditz, the insolent fucks, did _not_ call him by name. Most of Vegeta’s past partners hadn’t done it either, probably out of fear and deference, because Vegeta had never given any of them an explicit directive, but word got around about such things on base.

Vegeta slid his hands inside the loosened waist of Talon’s slacks and gripped his narrow hips. Vegeta knew already that he would be fucking Talon, and not the other way around, but he still imagined those narrow hips between his legs, pumping hard, and swallowed a groan. He ran his hands down Talon’s outer thighs, dropping the slinky material, and leaving Talon naked and beautiful.

Vegeta almost murmured Talon’s name as he took him in, but instead he seized Talon’s taut green ass and pressed his hard cock tightly against Vegeta’s. He whispered, “Oh dear, several more very serious violations. I believe your discipline might have to commence right away, soldier. Possibly while we engage in hygiene exercises.”

“Anything but that, Captain. I tremble before your mercy.”

Vegeta smirked. “Yes, I anticipate trembling. I certainly do. But mercy…I’m not known for my mercy.”

Talon said, “Captain, if you’re going to commence hygiene exercises, can I assist you in attaining the proper attire?” They were practically giggling. Neither could stop laughing for longer than a few kisses.

Vegeta said, “I order you to prepare me for our first bout of training, soldier, posthaste.”

Talon’s hot hands slid onto Vegeta's bare ass and trailed down his legs as Vegeta stepped out of his pants. Talon pulled their hips together again and rasped, “Holy fuck, Captain, I…may I…receive my first punishment right now?” and dropped to his knees in front of Vegeta, sucking along his ab muscles on his way down, without waiting for Vegeta’s reply.

Talon's mouth was shockingly hot—Vegeta feared for a brief moment that it would be too hot—but once the initial shock wore off, he loved it, like fevered fucking. Talon’s claws dug into Vegeta’s ass and he fucked Vegeta with his mouth. Vegeta had gotten blowjobs and head, been sucked off, but he hadn’t known until that moment, that no one had ever fucked him with their mouth before. Vegeta’s fingers caressed Talon’s head, his antennae, then down onto his wrists where Talon gripped Vegeta’s ass.

Talon’s tongue was firm and stroked the underside of Vegeta’s cock, slipping into his slit and swirling his tip, all while taking Vegeta so deep he didn’t even understand the anatomy of it. He expected this to be a preamble to fucking, but Talon sucked hard on his length with no indication that he intended to stop until Vegeta came. 

Vegeta’s ecstasy was so intense that he broke a rule he hadn’t broken since his first time having sex as he breathed, “Fuck, Talon, oh fuck, you have to stop—“ and used Talon’s name.

Talon very briefly pulled off to gasp, “Unless that’s a direct order, I refuse,” then returned with fervor to mouth-fucking Vegeta’s dick.

“Talon—I’m going to come! Gods! I’m coming! Holy shit!” Vegeta’s abs pulled tight as he erupted. He felt a brief flash of shame for coming in Talon’s mouth, but Talon caressed his ass, sucked him dry, and grinned up at him.

Talon pulled one of Vegeta’s balls into his mouth, tongued it, and released it, all looking up at Vegeta. He whispered, “Captain, I’m not sure I was up to standard on that, so perhaps you’ll allow me another opportunity to get my score up later?”

Vegeta’s knees were liquid. He hadn’t come in anyone’s mouth in ages, and it was something he typically did only with women. Vegeta’s rules were a mishmash of personal taste and ways to keep his emotional distance, and not obeying them was proving dangerous. Coming in Talon’s mouth had felt like a drug. Whispering his name felt like a massive jump in intimacy.

Vegeta caressed Talon’s cheek and helped him to his feet as he said, “Well above standard, soldier, so far above. But I need to observe your technique for emulation, so I’ll allow it,” Vegeta kissed him more, and against all his rules and his better judgment, murmured, “That was amazing,” as he pressed his brow to Talon’s.

Talon beamed and held Vegeta’s face in his hands, kissing Vegeta as he led them both into the shower. Vegeta held up a hand, sprinted to his bag, and returned to the shower with an optimistically large bottle of lube, but now Vegeta thought maybe it was just right. He wanted to fuck Talon until every drop of the lube was gone. Then he’d use spit, if necessary, so long as it meant he got to keep feeling this way with this man.

* * *

They ordered in for dinner, not even bothering to dress when the delivery boy knocked. Vegeta held a towel over his crotch to answer the door, paid in cash with a generous tip, and closed the door in the boy’s reddened face.

Talon said, “Not that I ever want you to put on pants, Captain, but there’s a table on the balcony, we could eat out there.”

Vegeta crawled above Talon where he reclined on the bed. “Mmm…I don’t know, soldier, covering that perfect ass of yours is another infraction that might incur punishment.” Vegeta’s blood was electric with lust as he bent to kiss Talon’s grin. They hadn’t even fucked in the shower. Just hand jobs and blow jobs and so much delectable kissing. Kissing until Vegeta couldn't think straight.

Talon curled up to meet his lips and whispered, “Well, Captain, after my latest punishments, that’s not much incentive for me to behave.”

Vegeta had given Talon what he thought might’ve been the best prostate orgasm of Vegeta’s extensive record of pleasing his partners. Talon had made a concerted effort not to say Vegeta's name and it only added to Vegeta’s excitement. Talon had screamed though, spurting and spurting and spurting before bringing Vegeta off with his hand so expertly that Vegeta had been startled by the intensity, and embarrassed by the rapidity, but Talon seemed deeply gratified, so Vegeta didn’t worry about it. Once they finally got out of the shower, they ordered food, and spent the wait just kissing and touching one another. Kissing Talon was intoxicating.

Talon sat up under Vegeta, kissed Vegeta off the bed, and rummaged in his bag. He stepped quickly into a tight pair of boxer-briefs and quipped, “A compromise.”

Vegeta said, “Tsk, tsk, again, soldier, it seems you had regulation gear and didn’t bother to equip it. More evidence of your underhanded purposes.” He stepped into his own pants, wagging a finger at Talon.

“Captain, I think you were the one who was underhanded.” Talon chuckled.

Vegeta laughed and pulled Talon against him for another kiss as they ambled out onto the balcony, the food in his free hand. He growled against Talon’s lips, “Mmm…indeed, but I didn’t hear you complaining.” As they sat, Vegeta finally got his tail under control again and wrapped it around his waist.

The ease with which they transitioned into an actual conversation while they ate, watching the sunset over the lake, shocked Vegeta. He knew from that first electric bout of flirting that they could banter, that they had chemistry, but this was something else entirely. Vegeta rarely had non-work-related conversations. In fact, he wasn’t sure he had _ever_ had a non-work-related conversation, aside from his scheming and plotting with Nappa and Radditz, or the occasional nostalgic patter about Vegeta-sei.

Talon was so easy to be around. He was witty and adorable as he spoke excitedly about everything from other people’s blunders at work to good books he’d read. Vegeta liked his pretty face, his petite, wiry body. Vegeta loved that Talon mocked Vegeta so fearlessly, poking him occasionally, and even slapping Vegeta's arm when Vegeta made some cutting remark. Vegeta had been wound so tight for so long, he had forgotten how good it felt to unwind.

They finished eating and Vegeta looked hard at Talon and said, “Did you really book this for two nights?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“Optimism?" Talon said with a shy smile.

Vegeta scooped him up and carried him back inside. “Well, I do hate to disappoint people.”

Talon chuckled and said, “I’m not sure that’s entirely true.”

Vegeta laid him on the bed, indulging in a few more kisses before he moved on to sucking Talon’s nipples and whispered, “I guess you’re right. Maybe I’d just hate to disappoint you.” Vegeta’s heart constricted. He needed to regain control over his foolish mouth.

“That, I believe, if our shower was any indication.”

Vegeta’s tail unfurled again, despite his best efforts. It whipped back and forth with delight. Normally Vegeta had an iron grip on his tail’s behavior, but Talon seemed to weaken his hold. Talon ran his claws along Vegeta’s scalp while Vegeta moved back and forth between his nipples, licking up and down his sternum whenever he crossed it. Such leisurely sex felt so luxurious, like a dream.

Then Vegeta’s tail did something it had never done: it trailed along Talon’s bare, bent leg, lazily coiling around his calf. Vegeta almost turned to look, his disbelief was so strong, but he managed to keep his mouth on Talon. The sensation of his tail touching Talon’s bare flesh was unbelievably sensual, making Vegeta’s loins ache.

Talon groaned with pleasure as Vegeta’s tail touched him, doubling Vegeta’s surprise. Talon curled up onto his elbows to look. He clasped Vegeta’s face and brought him up from his chest to kiss and said, “It’s so soft,” he ran his hands down Vegeta’s back, claws scratching with the perfect amount of pressure as he whispered, “Can I…can I touch it?”

Vegeta had never let anyone touch his tail, but Talon couldn’t know that, couldn’t know the magnitude of what he asked, but his tone suggested that he had inferred it. Vegeta _liked_ Talon, and that hadn’t really happened either. Liked him a lot. It was alarming. And wonderful. Vegeta breathed, “Gently, it’s very sensitive.”

Talon’s hands continued lower on his back and converged at the base of his tail. Talon slowly, softly petted Vegeta’s tail with one hand.

Vegeta wished he could purr it felt so good. Talon, who was panting like it was him getting petted, lightly grazed his claws along the skin, threading them through the dense, soft fur. Vegeta groaned uncontrollably and his tail began to slide up and down Talon’s leg, then flicked back and forth happily for a moment before caressing its way up Talon’s arm and onto Talon’s neck and jaw, onto his head, lightly playing over each antennae with Talon heavy-lidded and groaning along with Vegeta as they rocked their hips together.

His tail searched out Talon’s chest, over his arm again, his hip, and the sassy thing even tried to invade Talon's boxers. It gave up, but wrapped around his thigh, squeezing happily as Talon continued to pet its base. He slowly brought his hand back onto Vegeta’s back and slipped both of them inside Vegeta’s pants.

Vegeta held Talon’s jaw as they kissed, his thumb running back and forth along his smooth, hot cheek. His tail helped Talon slide Vegeta's pants off while they continued kissing. Vegeta sucked his way down Talon's abs and grabbed a handful of boxer, tearing them off too fast for Talon to see.

Talon’s laughter made Vegeta smile as he licked up the underside of Talon's prick. But Talon touched Vegeta’s jaw and pulled Vegeta back up his body. They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment. Vegeta had never had so much foreplay and now he wasn’t sure how to move forward, wasn’t entirely sure Talon wanted him to, and he wasn’t willing to risk it. He’d rather keep doing what they’d been doing than fuck it up and have it end. He kissed Talon’s palms as they held Vegeta’s face.

Talon rasped, “I want you…Will you?”

Vegeta kissed Talon’s mouth. “Gods, yes, I want you so badly, Talon,” Vegeta breathed against Talon’s lips. He poured lube on Talon’s bud and circled his fingers until Talon was squirming and begging. Only then did he slide a finger inside Talon. He pulsed inside Talon, tickling his prostate until Talon pleaded, “No, stop, I want to come with you inside me.”

Vegeta smirked and kissed him before he growled, “I’m going to make you come so many times, don’t worry.”

Talon’s lopsided smile appeared briefly before he threw his head back as Vegeta curled his finger deeper inside the inferno of Talon’s core. Talon kicked at the bed and his cum arced through the air. Vegeta waited until his spasms slowed and he relaxed to gently push a second finger in alongside the first. “Okay?” he whispered.

Talon nodded breathlessly as more high cries burst out of him. He moaned as Vegeta worked him again, fondling his balls now too. Vegeta loved watching Talon’s face in ecstasy. His tail was bringing him close to his own ecstasy as it furled and unfurled down Talon’s leg. As Talon came again, half-sitting up, he cried out, “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!”

“Gods, yes, come for me…keep coming…” Vegeta said in a low voice as another jet of semen came out of Talon’s tip.

Talon begged, “Please, please, I need you inside me, please!”

Vegeta’s breath caught with his own desire, stronger than it had ever been. “You’re sure?” Vegeta thought Talon felt very tight. New-to-having-his-ass-fucked tight. Vegeta didn’t dare ask though, for fear he embarrassed Talon.

“Gods, yes, please, I need you. Please fuck me. Please.”

Vegeta lubed himself and shifted Talon’s non-be-tailed leg up alongside his body. He kissed Talon tenderly as he pressed his head against Talon’s opening. “Relax for me, let me inside you.”

“Yeah, I am…I need you, please” Talon gasped.

Vegeta eased inside him, trembling with pleasure from the tight ring of fire as Talon’s ass gripped him. “Fuck, Talon, you feel so incredible,” he murmured against Talon’s mouth. His tail squeezed Talon’s thigh as Talon wrapped his leg around Vegeta’s waist.

Talon groaned, “Vegeta…gods, Vegeta, you’re amazing…”

Vegeta’s heart thumped and stumbled upon hearing his name on Talon’s lips. Talon pulled Vegeta deeper inside himself as they kissed furiously. Vegeta had never even enjoyed an orgasm as much as he was enjoying his first moments inside Talon and they were just getting started. Talon was so tight on him that he moved slowly and smoothly, pausing to smear more lube on himself whenever he pulled out some. He continued inching deeper until he was fully inside a very slick Talon. Talon gasped his name over and over as his hips undulated against Vegeta.

Vegeta breathed against Talon’s ear, “Feels okay? You’re okay? Do you want me to move?”

Talon's eyes slid open and met Vegeta’s. They smoldered and his hand reached down by Vegeta’s hip. His tail snuck into Talon’s hand. He held it gently, caressed it, until Vegeta could barely control his reactions. He was so turned on he thought he would come for days when he finally let himself go. Talon kissed him hard, holding Vegeta’s face with his hand that wasn’t making love to his tail. “Vegeta, holy shit, yes, yes…slow and deep, baby, please. Vegeta, I need you slow and deep.”

Vegeta exerted all his willpower to not come as Talon begged, especially while he did what he was doing to Vegeta’s tail. Vegeta had to swallow the words that tried to bubble out of him. He had come so close to crying out that he loved Talon. Vegeta did love Talon, and while he assumed it would pass with the euphoria of their union, in that moment, he’d never felt so intensely about anything. 

In lieu of professing his love, Vegeta said, "Anything for you,” and surged into Talon, letting his dick use the lessons his hands had learned about Talon's pleasure until Talon was nearly in ecstatic tears as he wailed Vegeta’s name. Vegeta growled, “Come for me, Talon, come for me, with me, come together with me! Come on my dick.”

Talon’s spray hit Vegeta’s chin. Vegeta’s pleasure skyrocketed as Talon’s ass clenched and seized on him and Vegeta climaxed hard, kissing Talon deeply to stifle the words that threatened to burst free again. His whole body trembled and he rolled into Talon slower and slower.

His tail snaked up under Talon’s neck, around his arm, and into his other hand, wrapping Talon in a soft embrace. Talon quivered with aftershocks and whispered, “Vegeta…” against his lips.

They never stilled completely, their hips rocking together languidly. Vegeta was so overcome that he didn’t dare speak, or even open his eyes right away. They pressed their foreheads together for a moment, breathing rapidly, jaggedly. Vegeta tried to master his tail, but it had no time for his bullshit. His tail was unabashed in its love for Talon, acting in a way that Vegeta was too afraid to act, loving on Talon and embracing him.

As they caught their breath, Vegeta kissed Talon until he was hard again inside him. Talon gave him another lopsided grin and said, “Well, Captain, in my opinion, this operation has been even more successful than my most optimistic projections.”

“Agreed, soldier. Fucking agreed,” Vegeta murmured against his lips. He rested on his forearms while his tail slinked over Talon’s body like it was memorizing him. Vegeta hoped that it was.

Talon caught it and nuzzled it to his cheek, then pressed it under his nose and dragged in a deep breath, smelling it. Vegeta had never even imagined someone doing such a thing, but the moment Talon did it, it turned him on so powerfully that he had a terrifying moment when he thought he would climax again, just from that. Intense affection for Talon burned through Vegeta.

Talon murmured, still with his nose buried in the soft fur, “You don’t really have control over it do you?”

“Normally I do…but it’s got a mind of its own tonight.” 

Talon smirked and whispered, “I think your tail likes me,” and he dragged in another breath through the silky fur.

Vegeta rolled them over together so Talon could rest on Vegeta’s chest, since Vegeta would crush Talon if he relaxed on him. Once he had Talon in his arms, with Talon’s fingers petting his tail, loving it, Vegeta’s eyes slid closed. Vegeta’s normal, prickly, guarded nature was undone by his tail’s brazenness. “It does like you, very much,” he confessed, his voice low.

Talon released his tail and squeezed Vegeta’s chest, humming happily. “I like how it smells. You too, of course, but this is how I imagine it would smell if you marked your territory like an animal. I like imagining your tail marking _me_ as your territory. It makes me want to forego showering, let other men veer away from me in terror.”

Vegeta chuckled. “They’d better. My tail is very possessive.” He pressed his own nose to Talon’s skin and breathed deeply, not that he needed to, he could scent Talon from miles away, but he liked that concentrated version, nothing but Talon, burning as it came off his skin. Vegeta murmured, “You are so hot, both literally and figuratively.”

Talon reared back to look at Vegeta’s face, grinned, and kissed him. He said, widening his eyes, “Am I your first Namek?”

“I confess, you are.”

“And I confess I’m shocked. Your reputation precedes you in certain circles on base.”

Vegeta snorted, but he was smiling. “Oh? I’ve heard that I have a bit of a reputation, beyond being excellent at killing and short-tempered. Is that what led you to flirt so shamelessly during Cui’s interminable meeting?”

Talon shook his head. His mouth wandered over Vegeta’s torso as ceaselessly as Vegeta’s tail wandered over Talon. He licked along the ridges, sucked on scars. “No, that was because I could barely keep from getting hard when I saw you. Because you were quick-witted, merciless, and very hot. And this body, Captain, should be against regulations. Not safe to have around young conscripts.”

“I can see that now. You’re in a bad way thanks to this body,” Vegeta said, pulling him up for a kiss.

“A very bad way,” Talon murmured against his lips.

They kissed more and Vegeta said, “I don’t really have a reputation, do I?”

Talon’s eyebrows rose. “Seriously?” Talon sat up, still on Vegeta’s dick. He started to very slowly pump up and down on as he scrutinized Vegeta. “Yes, I actually believe that you wouldn’t know. People are wary around you. _That’s_ the reputation you cultivate.”

“Important when you have to control the rabble I do.” Vegeta added more lube as Talon continued to ride Vegeta. He didn't ever want his partners to feel anything other than pleasure, and he’d heard enough horror stories to know that wasn’t the norm around base. Vegeta had plenty of opportunities to hurt people outside the bedroom, this was the only place he could revel in bringing pleasure instead of pain.

“Mmm…” Talon’s breathing sped up and Vegeta’s insouciant tail wrapped around Talon’s waist. “Your _other_ reputation, aside from insatiability, which is well known, is for being the best top on base.”

Vegeta guffawed, even as he gripped Talon’s hips and rolled deeper into him, hitting hard on the spot that made Talon groan. Talon’s eyelids fluttered. Vegeta snorted and said, “What an absurd notion—as if there’s such a thing as generic ‘good top.’ Good sex is as variable as the people that have it. You could fuck someone else just like you’re fucking me and they might find nothing exceptional, whereas you are driving _me_ absolutely fucking wild. Pleasure is deeply subjective. Just like pain.” Vegeta curled up to kiss Talon, caressing his face. “Like right now, you're making it very difficult to think coherently. Who’s spreading this ridiculous nonsense?”

Talon’s mouth hung open and his head lolled back so Vegeta could suck down his neck. Talon gasped, “Not one person…lots. You get around, Vegeta. But just the fact that you—“ he paused to cry out as Vegeta drove deeper inside him, “that you—oh fuck, Vegeta—that you know it’s—ah, ah, ah, yes, right there, oh fuck—that you know it’s different…makes you so much better—ah! Ah! Gods, oh, gods, Vegeta, you’re going to...you're making me come, baby, come with me!”

Vegeta slammed their mouths together and growled, “Fucking gods, Talon, I love fucking you!” Vegeta felt his cheeks heat at an admission so close to the more terrifying truth. But he came hard despite his fear.

Talon moaned long and low with his release and Vegeta trembled as Talon held him pressed against his upright body while they came together. Talon gasped, “And I love when you fuck me, Vegeta.” Vegeta thrust into him more. “I am so fucking glad I booked two nights because I am not done with you yet. Fuck!” Talon shouted as more semen jetted out of him. “How…” another burst and another cry, “am I still coming?”

Talon collapsed in Vegeta’s arms and Vegeta laid back holding him tightly. He had cum all over his tail and he _liked_ it: another alarming development. Vegeta was fastidious about his tail, even the thought of this happening with anyone else made him physically ill.

“I thought you were making a joke when you told me,” Talon gasped for breath, “to conserve my strength, but I think it was just good advice.”

“I do intend to thoroughly exhaust you. We’ll see if you're still glad you booked two nights on the morning after,” Vegeta said, kissing Talon’s delicious jawline, using the sheet to clean them off so he could keep holding Talon against his chest: another worrisome desire. Vegeta had never cared for cuddling. Barracks made that fairly acceptable, and he’d been more than happy to use that as a way to avoid it.

Talon sighed as he settled onto Vegeta’s chest, Vegeta’s insidious, loving tail coiling around his lithe green body. Talon said, “I won’t be glad. I’ll wish I booked a third, but your reputation precedes you there too.”

Vegeta winced. _That_ part of his promiscuous reputation he did know about, had assumed it was what Talon was referencing earlier. Vegeta never drank from the same well twice. He didn’t fancy attachments, for starters, but he’d never been with someone that he wanted again anyway. On top of that, Vegeta’s tenuous political position made romantic partners into leverage and potential bait. Being Frieza’s main weapon of war was a position Vegeta valued because it meant he was getting stronger every battle while being far from Frieza’s ever-watchful gaze. Each battle took him one step closer to his freedom, but as with anything in gigantic bureaucracies, doing something well meant people always wanted to either move him up or cast him down. Vegeta maintained a careful balance. He didn't want to end up in Zarbon’s position as Frieza’s bitch, but Zarbon thought he did, so he was always out for Vegeta’s blood.

Vegeta wrapped one arm around Talon’s back, and his fingers drifted up and down it, hopping over his own cum-crusted tail. His other hand ran along Talon's thigh, which was folded up alongside Vegeta's ribcage. Vegeta said, as nonchalantly as he could manage, “And was that aspect of my reputation part of my appeal?”

Talon sat up again, and Vegeta knew the question had been too transparent. But he felt like risking it. He met Talon’s eyes unabashedly. Talon narrowed his eyes, a smaller, subtle smile on his lips, and he said, “No. And I told you, I like to improvise as the situation demands.”

Vegeta pulled him down for an open-eyed kiss. “Me too. And so does my tail, apparently,” he said with a grin.

* * *

In the shower, with an hour until Vegeta had to be back on base to ship out on his next mission, Talon rode Vegeta’s hips like they were made for each other. The past two days had been unbelievably perfect. Vegeta reeled from how much he had enjoyed himself. Enjoyed Talon. And yet he had to end it. He pushed that out of his mind as he kissed Talon. Vegeta didn’t know how he was going to survive without kissing Talon all day, every day.

Talon cried his name as Vegeta pounded him more aggressively. Talon’s legs were tight around Vegeta’s waist and his arms were around Vegeta’s head, his fingers tangled in Vegeta’s hair, pressing Vegeta’s face against his perfect pectorals. Vegeta’s tail wrapped around Talon’s shoulders and upper arm. Vegeta's tail never wavered in its obvious love for Talon and the young Namek seemed to enjoy his tail in turn.

Vegeta fantasized about actually marking Talon in the way Talon had mentioned. Vegeta hadn’t told him that Saiyans used to do just that: there were scent glands all along Saiyan tails and on Vegeta-sei, tail-marking someone you were considering as a mate was typical. Nappa stank of Radditz these days and Vegeta wished they would just pair-bond and get it over with.

Vegeta felt the delightful twitching that preceded Talon’s orgasms.“Come for me, Talon, please…” Vegeta pleaded.

“Vegeta, come with me, together,” Talon gasped in reply.

“Yes, come, come, come, I’ll follow,” Vegeta said, bucking hard into Talon, and he felt Talon’s climax and fell off the cliff of his own, looking into Talon’s eyes as they cried out. Vegeta felt wrecked by his affection and pleasure. He was so close to tears he had to take a few breaths and close his eyes. He caressed Talon’s face, kissed him, trailed his fingers along his jaw, and, against his better judgment, rasped, “Gods, Talon, I wish it was three nights…fuck that…I wish I didn’t have to go at all.”

“Me too,” Talon groaned, still clenching on Vegeta. “Gods, how long? How long until you're back? Am I allowed to ask?” He turned his face away from Vegeta’s and said, “Sorry, I’ll shut up.”

“Talon…I don’t want you to shut up. Ten days. Ten eternal days.” Vegeta’s heart twisted and turned inside out. He didn't know what to do with all these new things ripping apart his insides. He said, in an anguished voice, “I’m…I’m gone all the time. Sometimes longer than this. I…I’m sorry.”

Talon closed his eyes and shook his head, then his lopsided smile returned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, you know me, I can improvise, even if I do wish I could have you again, and again, and again.”

“Four would be enough for you, though?” Vegeta asked, smirking, still thrusting into Talon, despite the serious turn their conversation had taken. Vegeta’s desire was still unslaked; he wanted every last moment inside Talon.

Talon threw his head back, gasping with pleasure, and his hips undulated toward Vegeta. Talon groaned, “If this weekend is any indication, Vegeta, then four is not enough, not even close.”

“No shit,” Vegeta murmured, taking Talon’s lips with his own. He plunged deeper into Talon, holding him by his ass. He hiked Talon’s legs up over his shoulders. “Four isn’t even enough for one shower,” Vegeta said, and his mouth was as out of control as his tail as he continued breathily, “Gods, Talon, I could fuck you forever.” His tail liked when his mouth spoke truth and it slipped around Talon’s torso, brushing sensually across his nipples.

“We could desert and keep having sex,” Talon said, and Vegeta felt he was only half joking.

“That is shockingly tempting,” Vegeta gasped, moving Talon more languidly on his dick. “It seems like a brilliant idea when I’m inside you.”

Talon met his eyes and then looked away, whispering, “I wish it seemed like a good idea other times.”

* * *

Vegeta felt more like an asshole than usual as they walked back through the city, though not because of anything Talon had said or done. Talon tried to be upbeat and glib, though Vegeta could tell his heart wasn’t in it. He made fun of Vegeta’s civvies, which were exactly the same as the ones he’d worn to go to the boarding house. 

Vegeta said, with a snort, “I want to make fun of you for wearing a shirt covered in lavender birds and pale green trousers, but you look delicious. I can’t think of a single cutting remark. Curse you for being so fucking attractive.” Then he said more softly, walking close to Talon, but not touching him, trying to wean himself off Talon on his way back to base, “Talon, my political position makes it hazardous to be associated with me. I’m not ashamed, but you’ll be safer if no one knows about this.”

“What does it matter? I’m nothing to you. They can't leverage something meaningless,” Talon said, but he sounded sad, not bitter.

“Talon…godsdamnit…you’re not nothing. What do you fucking want from me? You said you knew about my reputation. What did you expect?” Vegeta hissed, trying not to attract attention.

“I didn't expect to fucking like you! I thought you'd be a prick!” Talon bit back.

“I _am_ a prick!”

“Not with me, you're not!” Talon said, glancing over his shoulder with glassy eyes, and Vegeta’s heart ached with the sadness he saw there.

Vegeta pushed Talon into a narrow alley, all the way to the back where it was hidden from the main thoroughfare by the gloom of the high buildings. There were no windows nearby. He thrust his hand inside Talon’s pants, stroking him until Talon collapsed against him in his mounting pleasure. Vegeta checked for observers, then dropped to his knees, yanking Talon’s pants down, and finished him with his mouth. 

Talon clutched at Vegeta’s hair and gasped, “Vegeta…” as he came.

Vegeta stood quickly, cinched Talon’s pants back up, and pinned him against the wall. “You’re not nothing to me, Talon. But I have nothing to offer. _I_ am nothing. I want you to be safe. Okay? That matters to me more than…than…than…my wants. My desires.”

Talon’s chest heaved. “Fuck you. It doesn’t matter more than mine.”

“You are the only lover I've ever hidden, and there’s a godsdamned reason!”

“Who could even hurt you, Vegeta? Frieza, obviously, maybe Zarbon, but no one else can touch you,” Talon growled.

“Talon, who could hurt you?” Vegeta said.

Talon looked down, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. “A lot of people, I suppose.”

“If I were here, I could protect you, but I am never fucking here, by design. Frieza has me out constantly. It’s not worth it for you, Talon, trust me.”

“Don’t tell me what is worth anything to me! I can make up my own fucking mind. I want you.”

“No! Talon. Look. I’m sorry. Fuck. I am. I have to go. I have to be back in a few minutes and I still need to suit up. I’ll go ahead. You can follow shortly.”

“So this is it? This is goodbye?” Talon choked out.

“Yes,” Vegeta sighed, closing his own eyes tightly against the flood of sadness that washed over him.

Talon kissed him anyway and murmured, “I had a good time, Captain.”

“Me too, soldier,” Vegeta growled. His tail snaked around Talon’s waist and pulled them tightly together as the damned thing marked Talon. Vegeta had to use his hands to pull his rebellious tail off Talon before he walked down the alley, never looking back, even as his heart shattered, hearing Talon begin to cry.


	2. Insubordination

Vegeta found new depths to his brutality on his mission. His men quailed before him. His ruthlessness, and his bloodlust, which was really just lust, but there was no quenching that without Talon, meant Vegeta finished the mission two entire days early. He and his team flew back to base and his soldiers forgave him his viciousness because they were all elated to have two extra days off. 

Vegeta was viscerally disgusted when a very attractive soldier suggested they could fuck for their two extra days of break. Vegeta couldn’t imagine bedding anyone but Talon. The realization filled him with a hollow ache. Vegeta rejected the soldier’s advances and faced his weakness: if he got home two days early, his days off would line up with Talon's again. It scared Vegeta to prefer anything to fighting.

Vegeta hadn’t washed his tail since parting from Talon in the alley, and he was ashamed that he’d spent his nights and most of his time in his pod with his nose pressed into the soft, now filthy, fur, smelling the last bits of Talon that clung to it. Vegeta had cried for the first time in years on his way out to the mission, cried into his Talon-smelling tail, and wished he had done things differently, then alternately wished he had never met Talon at all. He didn't know how to recover from Talon. Vegeta felt broken.

As Vegeta got closer to base, he fantasized about emerging in his disgusting, half-clad, bedraggled state, finding Talon there to greet him. Talon would be wearing his absurd orange shirt, take Vegeta in his arms, and kiss him deeply in front of everyone. But the thought also terrified Vegeta: the power that would give others over him and the fear of what might happen to Talon when he was away. He ground his teeth at his situation.

No one at all greeted Vegeta upon his return. He reluctantly showered and washed his tail. He nearly sobbed as he lost that last bit of Talon on his body. He pulled on a fresh uniform and took a long, shaky breath. He knew he shouldn’t do what he was about to do, but he couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t shake the ache in his chest. He had found something he wasn't strong enough to fight.

It was the evening meal, so most base workers would be in the mess hall. Vegeta’s face must've been a mask of rage—at himself, at his situation—because people scurried out of his way more than usual as he strode through the halls, across the yard, and into the mess. Vegeta had no appetite for food, that wasn’t what he hungered for. He didn’t have a plan for what he would do if Talon wasn’t eating. Vegeta tried to appear disinterested as he surveyed the cafeteria.

His heart skittered and Vegeta bit out a curse at his tail when it tried to fly free of his waist. He rarely touched his tail outside washing it, but he was forced to place a hand on it, reminding it to stay snug around his waist if it wanted Talon to be safe. Talon sat on the end of a table in the far corner, engrossed in a book.

Vegeta threw some food on a tray and scanned the room for known enemies. He didn’t see anyone, and this would be quick either way. He slid into the seat diagonally across from Talon, who didn't even look up. Vegeta didn't look up either. He said in a low voice, “Soldier, if you're available to go over those training exercises again, the facilities are available. Despite my assertions last week, and my poor performance toward the end, I think another round would be very beneficial. If you’re amenable.”

Talon startled when Vegeta spoke, but didn’t look up from his book. He took a bite of food, chewed it slowly, then whispered, “The injuries I sustained were severe, but since they show no signs of healing anyway, I see no reason why not. I’ll meet you at the facilities later tonight.”

Vegeta wolfed down his food, and left before Talon had even taken another bite. Vegeta didn’t trust himself not to touch Talon. And even if he mastered himself, he’d had to grab his tail again once he was within tail-range of Talon. He could barely hear for the rushing of his blood, the thumping of his heart, as he walked back to his locker to get ready to go off-base.

As he dressed in his civvies, he heard Radditz and Nappa fucking aggressively in the shower. He rolled his eyes, trying to tell himself he was only irritated. But he was insanely jealous of the openness they were allowed. Everyone on base knew they were a couple and it had no repercussions except they’d been able to find another couple to bunk with so they could push the two sets of bunks together to have a larger bed on both levels. Nappa and Radditz slept together somewhat comfortably every night. He ground his teeth at the unattainability of having Talon in his arms every night.

The two Saiyans emerged from the showers. Radditz’s tail was already scurrying over Nappa’s skin. Vegeta saw what Talon noticed with Vegeta’s tail. Radditz wasn’t conscious of his tail doing its marking, but Vegeta was sure it was delightful for both parties, nonetheless. Nappa said jovially, “Hey, boss, enjoy the soundtrack?”

“It's basically background noise in my life at this point, Nappa.”

His only two remaining kin laughed together. Nappa’s tail was slinking up and down Radditz’s tail, and Vegeta tried not to watch, not wanting to be creepy. He kicked his bag back into his locker: he would have to buy supplies in the city. If he took a bag, Radditz would be suspicious and he could see Radditz was going to question him anyway. He hated that these two were all that remained of his race.

“Where are you off to, Prince Vegeta?” Radditz used his title seemingly in seriousness, but it still felt like mockery. What good was being a Prince of two fucking idiots? Though he questioned whether they really were the last three, as Frieza was always concerned about his royal blood. Vegeta ground his teeth more.

“I’m going into the city to have some real food. Gods, the garbage in the mess is worse than usual.”

Nappa said, “You look hot in your civvies, Vegeta.” Radditz gave him a horrified look, withdrawing his tail. Nappa shrugged, “What? I assumed that was royal code for whoring? Don’t you think he’s actually going whoring?”

Vegeta smirked. This was a perfect misconception for them to have. Radditz said, “Maybe he is, Nappa. In the who-will-fuck-Vegeta-this-break lottery, there haven’t been any winners for a few breaks. The stakes are getting high. Maybe he’s run out of fresh meat up to his royal standards here on base. And the pussy is more plentiful off base, if you like the less martial variety.”

Vegeta snorted, and said, “It’s amusing how you two are constantly fucking, yet still feel the need to concern yourselves so much with _my_ dick. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were angling for the only purely Saiyan threesome possible. Thankfully, I do know better, so I don't have to worry about that.”

Nappa frowned. “I don't think that would be bad, as far as threesomes go, boss. I’ve heard good things about your performance around base.”

Now Radditz was livid and Vegeta was delighted. He’d never seen Radditz angry at Nappa before. Radditz seethed. “We’re not having a fucking three-way, Nappa.”

Nappa said, “Aw, don't be mad, Radditz. Come on, let’s go have another round and then we can go out drinking tonight. There’s a new pool hall that’s supposed to have cheap pitchers. Come on, I’ll even suck your dick if you’re mad.”

“Enjoy your head, Radditz. Nappa, enjoy his semen. Goodnight, boys!” Vegeta said and tipped them a little wave, strutting out of the barracks into the sunlight. He made his way circuitously to the north gate, to make sure Radditz didn’t have some little piss-ant following him. But no one tailed him. He would have to make sure to be more careful in the city if he was going to succumb to his weakness every time he was on base.

* * *

Vegeta meandered through the city. He knew Talon would make him wait, knew he deserved it too. He wanted to do something for Talon, but Vegeta had no idea what people even did for people they cared about. He’d already purchased plenty of lube for the evening, toiletries, and clean civvies for his return to base. His boring attire made him reflect on Talon’s own dress. The man obviously enjoyed flamboyant clothing. Vegeta could estimate size fairly well. He only had to find the right sort of shop.

He wandered until he found the perfect place. He found a shirt covered in enormous, fuchsia flowers with metallic, shimmery beetles flitting about, all on a periwinkle background. It was fantastically over the top, but beautiful and excellent quality. Vegeta paid the shopkeeper, adding extra as he did whenever he wanted someone to keep quiet. She wrapped it equally flamboyantly, in vibrant orange paper with lime green stripes, but he had her bag it in something drab.

Since Talon seemed to favor paper books, for some peculiar reason, Vegeta found a book store. Vegeta remembered the authors Talon mentioned when they were talking about the recent improvements in translations coming to Cooler from other systems. He spoke to the bookseller for a while, going back and forth about what to get. In the end, he selected something by an author that Talon loved, but it was one of her obscure, early works, so Vegeta hoped maybe Talon hadn't read it. Vegeta asked him to wrap it. The man did, and then tried to give it to Vegeta without payment. 

Vegeta snorted and said, “I’m not a thief, only a face you recognize. Here’s your money, and hopefully your forgetfulness as well.” Vegeta paid him three times the book’s value and left.

He picked up some food and drink for later, then decided it was time to go wait it out at the boarding house. He paid the same woman, with more extra, and nodded to her. She nodded back, and palmed the cash. He’d gotten the same room and hoped that Talon would assume that, and could maybe slip in unnoticed to minimize the danger to himself.

Vegeta could be patient when he needed to be, but it wasn’t his forte. He put the two presents on the bed, made a little sideboard for them with cheese, fruit, and olives, a good bottle of wine. Vegeta hated drinking, hated the lack of control, but if he was going to lose himself, he would only do it with Talon. Would do it for Talon, if he wished.

Vegeta wished he’d had the bookseller leave the book unwrapped so he could read while he waited, or that he’d thought to get a book for himself, but he contented himself with meditating.

The sun was setting when Vegeta heard the lock disengage. He stood to greet Talon and wiped his palms on his pants. Vegeta only now realized how incredibly nervous he was; that he had been certain that Talon would stand him up.

Talon stepped in, this time in a slinky silver shirt with spring green dragons with red tongues. Perfectly cut dark gray trousers. He closed the door behind himself and leaned back against it, crossing his arms. He canted his head and his lopsided smile seemed to surface against his will. He stared at Vegeta for a long time, saying nothing.

Vegeta wanted to squirm under that accusatory gaze, but his tail, obnoxiously, would not stay put, and whipped off his waist, flicking back and forth, like it knew it wasn’t welcome to touch Talon yet, but that it would be soon. Talon’s eyes moved to his tail, then they spotted the wine, the food, the gifts. His mouth fell into a little “o,” and his eyes darted back to Vegeta’s questioningly.

Vegeta said in a low voice, “I’m sorry, Talon. I…I thought I could…I thought I could let you go, but apparently I can’t. Not yet, anyway. If you’ll tolerate me for another couple nights, at least.” He dared a small step closer to Talon, who kept looking in confusion at the things Vegeta had bought.

Finally he choked out, his eyes glassy, “What the fuck, Vegeta? Why did you…why did you do that to me? The past eight days _sucked_. A lot. Then you just…gods. I don’t even know why I’m here.”

“Because you care for my tail?” Vegeta ventured, perhaps too playfully, and his tail hesitantly brushed the back of Talon's hand, up his bare arm.

Talon laughed. “You are a prick. I was right.”

“I warned you. Everyone warned you.”

“Why do I want to spend all my free days with a prick?”

Vegeta shrugged and gestured towards his crotch with a smirk. “Because of the prick’s prick?”

“Gods, I wish that was it,” Talon said. He looked Vegeta over and said, “Do you seriously only own one outfit?”

“No. I own several of the _same_ outfit. I’m not filthy.”

“Just boring.”

“I save all my spontaneity and exuberance for other areas.”

Talon chuckled and threaded his fingers through Vegeta’s, stepping closer to him. “That you do. Plenty of both those in your bag of bedroom tricks.”

Vegeta slid his hand up onto Talon’s jaw. Talon didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry.”

“What the fuck are we doing, Vegeta? Nothing’s changed, right? So do I just let you fuck me when you feel like it and then…stop? I shouldn’t even be here now. I should be continuing my efforts to get over you.”

Vegeta pressed their foreheads together, pulled Talon’s hips against his. “I know, you really are foolish, but you came all the way here, and you look so fancy. You’re begging to be unbuttoned, this shirt practically cries, ‘fuck with me on, but unbuttoned,’” Vegeta said with a smirk, hoping to turn Talon's mood a little.

“Yeah, I know, it says so, right on the tag,” Talon said, giving Vegeta a lopsided smile that almost reached his eyes.

“I don’t know what to do either, Talon, so I’m improvising. This hasn’t ever happened to me. I don't know how to…like someone.”

Talon chortled and said, “That is the most Vegeta thing you’ve ever said. Can’t you just act more like your tail?”

“If my tail had its way, you’d have to go on missions with me, stuffed inside the same pod, even. Get fucked against every wall on base and sleep in a tiny, shitty bunk.”

“I already sleep in a tiny, shitty bunk.”

“Can you imagine if you had to contend with _me_ in it? You barely stayed safe on a king-sized mattress.”

“You are absurdly heavy. Your mass defies common sense and possibly the laws of physics.”

“Can we try…I don’t know…having fun again for a couple days and I’ll do a better job saying goodbye?”

“I think I should go, Vegeta. I should’ve just said no in the mess, but I was afraid I’d cry. You made me fucking cry, Vegeta.”

“I made myself cry.”

Talon’s eyes snapped up to Vegeta’s, his brow furrowed. “Don’t be an asshole. I’m serious. I don’t cry, Vegeta, I’m pretty easy-going.”

“I’m not being an asshole! I’m being serious!” Vegeta said, his own brows coming together.

“ _You_ cried?” Talon stepped back, crossed his arms again. His tone was disdainful.

“Yes, like a fucking blubbering child. Thank the gods I was in my pod so none of my men saw me. I had to lie about why my scouter and my pod-com were both down the entire trip out.”

Talon searched his eyes. “Then why did you do it?”

Vegeta growled in irritation. He wanted Talon to know all the things that he’d done, the rules he'd broken, all out of affection for Talon. What he wanted more than anything was to tell Talon that he loved him. “I…Look…I don’t _do_ this. I've had good sex before, Talon, really good sex. It seems like you know how…experienced—“

“Promiscuous is the word you’re looking for—“ Talon said.

“Fine, promiscuous, I am. It’s not like they’ve all been garbage that I never wanted to fuck again. Plenty of them were really good lays. But that’s not worth the effort. I…I like you. I enjoy your company. Obviously I enjoy fucking you, I _really_ enjoy fucking you, but…that isn’t…I don’t know. Godsdamnit!” Vegeta growled and ground his teeth, then gave in to his desire to kiss Talon, to see if he’d be less stupid once he could stop thinking about how much he wanted to kiss him. Vegeta’s mouth crushed Talon’s.

Talon groaned and practically swooned in Vegeta's arms. Then he was frantic, shoving Vegeta’s pants down just far enough to get his dick out. Vegeta unfastened Talon’s and dropped them, lifting him off the ground and pushing him back against the wall. He spit in his hand, stroking himself several times, then sucked his fingers, fingering Talon to make sure he was ready. Talon growled, “Fuck me already, Vegeta, gods, just fuck me.”

Vegeta thrust into him and nearly wept with the relief of it, how good it felt to be back in that delicious heat. Talon wailed, “Oh fuck, yes, yes, yes, fuck me, Vegeta, fuck me, I need you!”

Vegeta was speechless he was so delighted to have Talon crying his name again, clenching on him again. They climbed high and fast as Vegeta bucked up into Talon, shielding his back from the wall with his arm, squatting enough that his thighs did the work of holding Talon up. His free hand raced down Talon’s buttons and Vegeta leaned to suck his collarbone, curled his body to reach Talon’s nipples. His tail found every inch of Talon’s bare skin. When it reached Talon’s face, he leaned into it, rubbing his cheek on it like a cat getting its chin scratched.

Vegeta begged, “Come for me, Talon, please, come for me.” Talon’s eyes slid open just enough to meet Vegeta's and he gasped and his semen spilled over Vegeta’s knuckles, his ass clenched and gripped, and Vegeta felt relief for the first time since the alleyway. Vegeta came hard and drove himself into Talon a few more times, burying his face in Talon’s neck and murmuring, “Thank you, Talon, thank you for coming back to me…”

He held Talon until they’d caught their breath, then he reluctantly pulled out, still kissing Talon. He finished taking his pants off, then threw his shirt off as well, hearing Talon whisper, “Sweet gods, Vegeta, you don’t play fair.”

Once he was naked, he took Talon’s face in his hands and kissed him more, but Talon pulled away. “This is nothing, you understand? Now I’m in charge and I’m telling you, we’re done after this. This break is all you get, and only because I’m super horny, so you better make good use of your time.”

The hot sting of tears he felt rising in his sinuses shocked Vegeta. He breathed them away and nodded. He couldn’t quite manage to smirk, but he said, “I’ll do my very best, soldier.”

Talon kissed him more and Vegeta’s tail tugged at the shirt. “I guess it has to go,” Vegeta whispered.

“I won’t miss you, but I’ll miss your tail.”

“He’s my better half.”

“No doubt about that. Shut up. Shut up and kiss me,” Talon commanded. 

Vegeta obliged, not feeling even a little bit put upon. He hoisted Talon onto his hips and walked to the bed. He held Talon against his chest as he climbed onto the bed. He shoved the presents aside as he bent Talon's legs up alongside his body, folding him in half. He pulled his mouth away from the perfection of kissing Talon and sucked his way down his body until he reached his pucker.

Talon cried out as Vegeta’s tongue swirled on his knot. Vegeta’s tongue pushed up his taint and Talon tensed like it hurt, so Vegeta moved back onto his bud. He massaged with his tongue and swirled more until Talon was begging for Vegeta to finger him. Vegeta crawled above him, reaching acrobatically for the lube. He whispered, “Did I hurt you earlier? Sorry, I know spit isn’t the best. I got carried away.”

“I’m fine, you didn’t hurt me…I was pretty ready to go, as you may have noticed.”

“Still, if you’re sore—“

“Vegeta, I’m fine. This is why people think you’re a good top, because you actually give a shit if your bottoms are okay.” Vegeta kissed him more. Talon met his eyes, then rolled over. “Take me from behind?”

“Anything you want,” Vegeta whispered, lubing himself and pushing inside Talon’s eager ass.

He rocked into Talon slowly. Talon cried out with every breath and pushed back onto Vegeta, taking him deeper faster, and he looked at Vegeta over his shoulder, “Slow and deep, but hard, yeah?”

“Fuck yes,” Vegeta growled. That was his favorite way to fuck, if not his favorite position, though he would never admit that he had a favorite anything, since he felt his own needs were secondary to meeting his partner’s. And Talon was a whole new category of Vegeta needing to make him come, to please him. Vegeta could spend the whole two days and nights making Talon come, regardless of whether Vegeta got off or not. He burned to bring Talon pleasure.

He drove deep and hard into Talon, dragging himself slowly back out and repeating that motion until Talon was crying his name with every thrust. Vegeta didn’t reach around, wanting to make Talon come with only his ass, and it was clear Talon wasn’t prepared for that. When his orgasm finally shook him, he screamed, “Oh fuck, Vegeta—Vegeta—Vegeta! You…Oh fuck! I’m coming so hard! Vegeta!”

Vegeta would never get tired of hearing Talon call his name in the throes of ecstasy. Vegeta preferred seeing his lovers’ faces, but this, hearing this level of joy and seeing Talon’s hands clutch at the sheets, feeling and watching Talon’s ass seize so hard on Vegeta, was well worth being behind Talon. Vegeta got to see half of Talon’s face where he turned to the side to gasp for breath as he let his upper body collapse onto the bed. Talon’s eyes scrunched shut, as another wave wracked his lithe body, making him tremble. He pushed back hard onto Vegeta and whispered, “Come inside me, Vegeta, please, I think you'll make me come again if you come inside me. Don’t stop, please, please, please, don’t stop…”

Vegeta kept thrusting, kept making his dick reach for Talon’s pleasure and when Talon growled, “I need to feel you shoot off inside me, Vegeta, please! You said you didn't want to disappoint me! Please!”

Vegeta gasped at the suddenness of his climax, as if it was answering Talon’s pleas. He felt his cock explode inside Talon, twitching hard, then Talon curled as his abs tightened and another powerful orgasm rocked his slender body, and Vegeta watched his ass grip and clench on Vegeta’s cock, his favorite thing about rear entry. Talon continued to wail and slam hard onto Vegeta for a long time, making Vegeta’s orgasm last longer. As Talon finally slowed, gasping for breath, Vegeta slapped his ass gently, and pulled out.

He fell back onto the bed, and he slid his arm under Talon to drag him onto Vegeta’s chest. Talon resisted forcefully. Vegeta choked out, “Talon?”

Talon got up and went into the bathroom. He closed the door. Vegeta took several jagged breaths to stay his tears. Another breath and he got up, pressed his forehead against the bathroom door. He called, “Talon? Look, I…I don't want to do this if you're unhappy, if it’s making you feel shitty. I never meant to make you feel that way. The room is paid for two nights, please stay and have some peace. I’ll go. I…thank you. For the time you did give me. I won’t bother you again.”

Vegeta hurried to dress, still fighting tears, and decided to go off the balcony rather than face the humiliation of the proprietor seeing him leave. He swung open the door, but Talon grabbed his wrist. Talon’s eyes were red and anguished. Vegeta touched his face, his tail searched Talon’s body, his brows coming together as he said, “Talon? Did I hurt you? I’m so sorry—“

“Shut up! Shut up! Godsdamnit!” Talon pulled away, sat heavily on the corner of the bed. He held his mouth in his hand, shook his head. “Fuck," he muttered through his fingers.

Vegeta waited, not even daring to move during his brief reprieve. Talon dragged his eyes up to Vegeta’s. “Why can't I just fucking hate you?”

Vegeta shrugged and said, "It's easy for me.”

"Don't say that.”

“Why?”

“I don't want you to hate me.”

“Gods, not you!” Vegeta was horrified that Talon had thought that was his meaning. “Myself. I find it easy to hate myself.”

Talon’s eyes were even sadder then, which was not Vegeta’s intention. Vegeta hesitantly sat on the bed next to Talon. He didn't say anything, but reached and grabbed the shirt. He handed it to Talon. Talon grumbled, “I don’t need a bribe, Vegeta,” but he took the box.

“I'm not bribing you, Talon. What would I even be bribing you for?”

“You’re right, I guess it's more like whoring.”

Vegeta snatched the box back. “Fuck, Talon! I’m not giving you this. I don’t _whore_ , and I certainly don't perceive you that way and if a gift makes you feel like one, it’s not a gift, it's an insult.” Vegeta picked the book up too, shoved them both under the bed.

“Fine, I’ll take your stupid present,” Talon said and held out his hand. Vegeta's tail coiled up his arm and into his hand, swishing back and forth. “Not this present, you furry little nuisance.”

Vegeta’s tail recoiled, drooped on the floor, something it had never done. Vegeta ground his teeth, he should have kept better control over it. It slunk farther away from Talon. Vegeta tried to get it to coil around his waist, but it stayed flopped on the floor like a dead snake. He turned in shock as he heard Talon burst into tears again.

He dropped to his knees in front of Talon. “Talon?” He quickly pulled the shirt box back out and said, “Here! Here it is!”

“Not that! Gods, I just made your tail sad, which is like the meanest thing ever!”

“It'll be fine, it just…it just…” Vegeta’s throat was choked and tight. He hadn’t realized how much his tail’s feelings affected him. He said, “Open the present, okay?” Vegeta brushed the tears off Talon's cheeks with his thumbs as he held Talon's face in his hands.

Talon nodded and swiped at his eyes. Vegeta didn’t think it was possible for someone to be attractive opening a gift, but Talon’s face perked up, and looked so guilelessly curious that it filled Vegeta with pleasure. Vegeta knew that he would want to buy Talon presents all the time if this was how he responded. Talon pulled the paper off.

Vegeta’s breath caught and he suddenly wished he hadn’t done this. What if Talon hated it? Or was further insulted? It was too late. Talon was lifting the lid off the box. Vegeta had a moment of madness where he considered incinerating it with a chi blast, but he contained himself. His tail slunk over toward Talon’s leg, but stayed listlessly on the floor, momentarily distracting Talon.

He bent and trailed his claws along the skin under the fur as he whispered, “You’re not a nuisance, you’re lovely. I meant to hurt him, not you,” but it slunk away from his touch.

The anticipation was going to cause Vegeta to self-destruct, and his tail’s despair was not helping. Talon looked sadly at his tail for a moment, then back to the box. Vegeta’s whole body thrummed with anxiety. Relief crashed over him as Talon’s face broke open in a huge smile and he laughed.

Talon turned his still watery eyes to Vegeta and said, “Where did you find this? It’s beautiful!” He pulled it out and held it up. “Can I try it on? I think it even goes with the pants I was wearing.”

“Of course, I bought it to see you in it.”

Talon flushed deeply and Vegeta thought maybe, for once, he had said the right thing. Talon stepped into his pants, then put the shirt on. It was long-sleeved, but the material was light enough to be worn in the summer, but could also be worn under the jacket when the weather turned cold. It was meant to be tucked in, unlike the other shirts Vegeta had seen Talon in, so Vegeta made a mental note to get a jacket in the technicolor magenta of the flowers.

Vegeta stood and started buttoning up the shirt. He whispered, “I’m less good at this.”

“Have you ever even worn something with buttons?” Talon asked, smirking.

Vegeta began to snark back at Talon, but he thought for a long moment and cracked up. He laughed out, “I don’t think I have!”

“Are you serious?” Talon said, joining in his laughter.

“No, I don’t think so. Honestly, I think I probably figured them out while seducing people.”

“Another very Vegeta statement.”

Vegeta stepped back once he’d finished buttoning Talon. Talon tucked it in. Vegeta looked him up and down, then closed the distance again and kissed him, hoping Talon wouldn’t be mad. His tail was still drooping behind him, but as the kiss went on, it perked up a little and slithered back around Vegeta’s waist. Vegeta pulled away and breathed, “Gods, it looks great on you.”

Talon grabbed Vegeta’s jaw, kissed him a little more, and smiled as he said, “Stop sucking my face long enough that I can go look.”

“Mmm…better hurry or you’ll miss it,” Vegeta said, immediately fearing that it was too much, too soon to insinuate that Talon would be undressed again tonight.

“I take it this isn’t a fuck-with-it-on-but-unbuttoned shirt?”

“Anything you put on falls in that category,” Vegeta whispered against Talon’s lips, but slapped his ass, pushing him toward the big mirror in the bathroom.

Vegeta gave him some space and Talon called from the bathroom, “Oh my gods, Vegeta, you’re right, I do look good! Too bad your tail can’t actually mark me, because guys are going to swarm me when I wear this!”

Vegeta hated hearing Talon reference other men wanting him, having him, but he also sighed with relief that Talon liked it. He considered telling Talon that Vegeta could, in fact, mark him, but decided that the moment was not right. Maybe once his tail was less morose. 

Talon strutted back out and Vegeta groaned. He really did look good. Vegeta had chosen well. He would be back in that shop before his next mission. He hoped the woman would deliver to base for a price. Talon stopped in front of Vegeta and pulled their hips together by the waistband of Vegeta’s pants. “You surprise me, Captain.”

“Do I?”

“You do.”

“Is that a good thing?” Vegeta said, searching Talon’s eyes.

“This time,” Talon said, and gave him a chaste kiss.

“Do you want to open your other one?”

Talon’s mouthwatering smile returned and he said, “This will be hard to top, Vegeta. Especially since I know it’s not another awesome shirt. The box is too small.”

“Well, might as well get another of my disappointments out of the way then.”

Talon kissed him more deeply. Vegeta felt that Talon was warming up to him again, that maybe he could salvage at least these two days, if nothing else. And he would take whatever Talon would give him.

Vegeta let Talon break the kiss, then pulled the book out from under the bed, and handed it to him.

Talon looked down. “Why?” he asked quietly, “Why did you get these for me?”

“To make you happy. To see you happy.”

“But why?”

“Because that’s one of the few things that makes me happy.”

“Vegeta…don’t say shit like that.”

Vegeta’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”

“Because I would still like to hate you.”

“Maybe it sucks and it’ll help you hate me. Open it.”

Talon tore the paper off quickly and stared with wide eyes at the book. When he met Vegeta’s anxious eyes, his expression was unreadable. Vegeta stammered, “I…you mentioned her several times and I…I…You probably have all of her books, but I thought—“

Talon kissed him hard. Kissed Vegeta like he wasn’t angry. Kissed Vegeta like the first time they had kissed. Vegeta tried to follow Talon’s lead, wherever it went, match his fervor to Talon’s fervor.

Talon’s fingers caught the edge of Vegeta’s tank and pulled it up over his head in one motion. Talon’s hands ranged over Vegeta’s torso, twisting his nipples, tracing ridges of muscle, even dipping into his navel. He slid his hands down to take Vegeta’s pants off, but his hands encountered Vegeta’s tail tightly wrapped around his waist. It unfurled out of Talon’s way, but it cringed away from his touch.

Talon’s brow furrowed, but he kissed Vegeta more. Vegeta hesitantly untucked Talon’s shirt, unsure whether Talon would let him. Talon’s hands joined him, hurried him along, so Vegeta’s hands started up Talon’s buttons.

“You’re doing a great job with those buttons, Vegeta,” Talon teased.

Vegeta smirked and said, against Talon’s lips, “Thank you for letting me practice again.”

“I doubt if you’ll get any more practice in the next couple days.”

“Maybe there are other skills I can work on during my button-free time?”

Talon chuckled more and slid Vegeta’s pants off. “Maybe you can practice your dexterity and fine motor skills with a different sort of…button?”

Vegeta sucked on Talon’s nipples now that his shirt was open. He kissed back up to Talon’s mouth and put his hands on Talon’s pecs, his fingers pinching and twisting his spit-slick nipples. He kissed Talon deeply, then breathed across his ear, “Here? Are these the buttons you mean?”

“Mmm…that feels good, but is not exactly what I had in mind.”

“What do you have in mind?” Vegeta gasped as Talon gripped his shaft.

Talon moved his hand up and down, kissing Vegeta’s mouth savagely. “You might need to explore more deeply to find what I have in mind.”

Vegeta tugged Talon’s trousers down, slid his hands onto Talon’s shoulders to push his shirt off, and murmured, “I don’t want to get cum on your brand new shirt.”

Talon smirked and raised his eyebrows dramatically. “Oh? Do you think there’ll be cum involved, Captain?” He squeezed Vegeta, stroked him faster.

“Why, yes, soldier, I do. I think we might be drowning in it before long.”

Talon trembled a little as Vegeta kissed him and trailed his fingers into the cleft of Talon’s ass. Talon continued to stroke him as Vegeta gently maneuvered him onto the bed.

Vegeta knew Talon’s emotional situation was delicate. Words stopped up Vegeta’s throat. He didn’t want to say anything that might disrupt the easy, sweet making out they were engaged in. That and the only words Vegeta really wanted to say were unacceptable given the situation. Given Talon’s wish to be rid of Vegeta. Vegeta pushed that horrible thought to the back of his mind. 

He lowered Talon onto his back. Vegeta wasn’t willing to do any more rear-entry tonight. He blamed the facelessness, the lack of connection, for the chain reaction of Talon’s misery, which had led to a fair amount of his own. 

Vegeta’s tail was still listless and avoidant after Talon’s outburst. It wouldn’t touch Talon at all, despite the fact that he was almost frantically kissing Vegeta, caressing his body everywhere but his tail. Vegeta mentally begged, commanded, and wheedled with his tail, trying to get it to wrap around Talon’s leg, or even brush along his skin, but it stubbornly refused. It wouldn't even flick or lash. It just arched up behind Vegeta like it wasn’t prehensile at all. Like it didn’t have a mind of its own.

Vegeta wanted to distract Talon from his tail’s recalcitrance. He took Talon in his mouth as he got the lube, then circled his slick fingers on Talon’s pucker as he licked up his shaft. Vegeta sucked his head and entered him teasingly until Talon’s breathy cries were driving Vegeta wild. He took Talon’s entire length in his mouth as he reached deep inside Talon. He found Talon’s sweet spot and started gently tapping it until fluid streamed out of Talon’s slit into his mouth. 

Talon groaned, “Gods, Vegeta, I’m so close…push me over the edge, baby, make me come.”

Vegeta tapped harder and Talon exploded in his mouth. Talon bucked up into Vegeta’s mouth, his taut ass crushing Vegeta’s hand, and he milked Vegeta’s finger so sweetly, that Vegeta was certain he could come just dry-humping Talon’s leg.

Talon seemed to have the same thought as he rubbed his leg against Vegeta. He gasped, “Keep doing that, don’t stop!” Vegeta had no idea which activity Talon meant, so he kept doing everything he was doing. Talon continued, “Fuck, are you trying to make me come again, Vegeta?” Vegeta’s free hand squeezed Talon’s hip. Talon groaned, “Gods, I think you could come on my leg if you tried, baby, will you try? If you’re going to push me? I’m going to crush your fingers, Vegeta, slide in another, please…Then…then…ah…ah!”

Vegeta obeyed and Talon’s coherence declined dramatically once he pushed a second finger inside Talon’s heat. Talon writhed and bucked and groaned. Vegeta knew he was pushing Talon hard, that it would be a lot to top that ridge and fall again, but he loved doing it. He curled his fingers against Talon’s p-spot harder and harder.

Talon cried, “Pull off me, Vegeta, I want you to watch me come. I’m going to come so hard. I want you to see what you’re doing to me.”

Vegeta pulled his mouth off as he thrust his fingers harder and Talon wailed, watching himself come. He was right: an enormous geyser of semen pumped out of him as his ass clenched tightly on Vegeta’s fingers again and again.

“Do it, Vegeta, let go. Come on me, please, baby, come on me,” Talon whispered as more cum poured out of him.

Vegeta’s orgasm slammed into his body with Talon’s words. He rubbed himself shamelessly on Talon’s leg, moving up onto his thigh as his muscles released and he spurted up Talon’s thigh. Talon was still ejaculating as Vegeta continued to milk him and Vegeta couldn’t tear his eyes away. He gasped with his own aftershocks and added more to the wonderful mess they’d made.

He gave Talon a tentative tap inside, but Talon threw his head back and said, “Fuck, Vegeta, I wish I had that kind of stamina or recovery, but I am spent. I need a minute. And some water. Maybe even some protein after that load. Holy shit,” Talon looked down at his cum-coated belly. He turned his lopsided grin to Vegeta and said, “Though perhaps most immediately I need a towel.”

Vegeta sprang up to get Talon a towel, chuckling as he hurried back, cleaned Talon off, and said, “She must think we overused the towels last time, because there’s about fifty in there.”

Talon blushed furiously, which amused Vegeta more. Talon met his eyes so innocently and said, “You don’t think she recognized us, do you?”

Vegeta stopped on his way to kiss Talon after mopping the giz off of him. He furrowed his brow and said, “Are you serious?”

“Yes?” Talon said, startled by Vegeta’s question.

“Talon, ninety percent of people in this fucking system know my face and my name. I’m Frieza’s primary instrument of terror. She knows who I am and you’re pretty fucking distinctive. I know there are other Nameks on base, but not many, and none as hot as you.”

Talon looked ashen. “Everyone recognizes you?”

“Pay attention when I walk anywhere. People skitter away from me like I’m on fire. Like I _am_ fire. Because I am.”

“I just thought it was your death-stare and obviously murder-y bearing. I didn’t know people, you know, _knew you_ , knew you. I thought it was more like, knew _of_ you. Not recognized you.”

“I fucking subjugated this entire planet single-handedly seven years ago. Most people that survived _remember_.”

“Seven years? How old are you?” Talon asked, looking perplexed.

“Twenty-five-ish, I think, birthdays are sort of…lost when your family and race and planet are annihilated.”

“You conquered this planet when you were eighteen?”

“Thereabouts.”

“I thought this was Frieza’s homeworld?”

“I don’t know the backstory. He says jump, and I say how high. I’m his slave. He wanted a base here. He told me to bring the population in line or destroy them. I did.”

“Which?” Talon asked, his eyebrows still raised.

“A little from column A, a little from column B.”

“Holy shit. And you’re fucking _me_? And you bought me a pretty shirt? And…and…and the perfect book?”

“I am. I did. Do you see now why I’m wary? Why I give her a lot of extra money? It’s to keep you safe. Because a lot of people wouldn’t hesitate to try to cause me suffering. I leave a wake of suffering wherever I go.”

Talon nodded slowly.

Vegeta continued, “We could never have anything approaching normal, Talon. Not until…not until I’m a lot stronger.” He climbed back onto the bed and flopped onto his back, feeling despondent now that Talon understood. His tail snuggled alongside his own leg. It was still sad.

Talon sprawled on Vegeta’s chest, but he sat up a little and looked around. He laid his head back down, his brow furrowed. He asked Vegeta more questions about his status, his history, and by the end, Vegeta could feel Talon’s whole body was tense.

Vegeta trailed his hands over Talon and said, “You’ll be well rid of me, even if it breaks my heart to say so.”

Talon said nothing, but snuck his hand over Vegeta’s hip. His claws grazed the fur of Vegeta’s tail. It withdrew even farther under his leg. Talon said, frowning, “You aren't doing this either, are you?”

“No, I’m actually trying really hard to make it knock this shit off. At least it’s not drooping, for fuck’s sake. The indignity of having a perpetually droopy tail would be humiliating.”

Talon tried to touch it again and it burrowed as far under Vegeta as possible. “Fuck, this feels terrible.”

“Just ignore it. It’ll come around.”

“I didn’t mean it. I love your tail. It’s not a nuisance. I just wanted to hurt _you._ Not your tail.”

Vegeta nearly growled he was trying so hard to make his tail obey, but it stayed firmly tucked underneath him. He turned his face away from Talon to hide the tears that were trying to form. He suspected his tail was just expressing how Vegeta felt: destroyed. So sad it was hard to move.

Vegeta said, to redirect, “Do you have that book?”

“No! I’ve never been able to find a copy and it’s not available on my reader. It’s the only book of hers I’ve never read. Thank you. For the shirt too. Sorry I was a jerk to you for doing something sweet. I…I was really upset after…after last time.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I wish…I wish…Ah, well, I can’t have what I wish. So, you’re welcome. Thank you for accepting them,” Vegeta sighed and tried to continue like he wasn’t about to shatter, “I didn’t get us dinner since it’s so late, but if you’re hungry, help yourself. Or if you drink. I don’t really drink, but I have it on good authority that this is a good bottle.”

Talon climbed astride Vegeta and sat up. “This feels like a romantic getaway, not a random hookup.”

Vegeta rubbed his eyes with thumb and forefinger and said, “I assure you, Talon, it doesn’t feel like a random hookup to me. I’m not immune to wishful thinking.”

Talon rolled off him and grabbed the book. He opened the wine and despite Vegeta’s protests, poured two glasses. He fluffed the pillows and sat, semi-reclining on the bed. He tugged Vegeta over until his head was in Talon’s lap. Talon took a sip of wine and said, “You were not kidding, this is good. Why don’t you drink?”

“Tch. I don’t like feeling out of control.”

“You don’t have to get drunk. Though I confess I might enjoy you drunk.” Talon handed Vegeta the other glass.

Vegeta took it. The last time he’d had a drink, he had gotten drunk. And got the shit beaten out of himself by Zarbon. Almost got raped by Zarbon. But he was stronger now. To his horror, he found himself about to tell Talon that story. He bit his tongue. One drink would be fine. He trusted Talon, even if he did get drunk. But then he couldn’t protect Talon. But not drinking it might disappoint Talon. Vegeta knew he was spiraling. So he curled up a bit and took a sip.

Talon took another, set it down, and cleared his throat. He opened the book, holding it in one hand, and began to read aloud, trailing his claws along Vegeta’s scalp. His voice, like his face, was beautiful and clear. Melodic, even.

Vegeta felt his whole body relax as Talon kept petting him and reading in his velveteen voice. And Talon had good taste—the book was excellent; beautifully written and engrossing. Vegeta took another drink of wine. Talon paused, popped an olive in his mouth, then offered one to Vegeta, but when Vegeta tried to take it with his hand, Talon pulled it away. Talon gave him an exasperated look. Vegeta opened his mouth tentatively, and when Talon placed the olive in his mouth, he sucked Talon’s fingers like they were the best dick he’d ever had. 

Talon’s eyelids fluttered down, and his perfect smile spread across his face as he whispered, “Naughty, naughty, Captain.” He bent and gave Vegeta a kiss, but just one.

They continued like that through the first chapter. Vegeta was exhausted, but he willed himself to stay awake. He reached his hand above his head and languidly stroked Talon’s flank.

Talon bent and gave him another sideways kiss. “You look tired, Vegeta.”

“I went hard on my mission.”

“That explains how you’re back already.”

“I…” Vegeta stopped himself. He didn't want to ruin this. He recovered, “I like listening to you read. I like her.”

More sideways kissing. Talon took Vegeta’s wine, set both glasses on the small table. He laid the book open on the other small table. His hands free, he held Vegeta’s face and kissed him. Vegeta nearly broke with the sweetness of the evening. He caressed Talon’s face.

They kept kissing and Vegeta gradually sat up so they were facing each other, and though their hands never ventured below the waist, Vegeta didn’t think he’d ever been so turned on in his entire life. If he’d been unsure about loving Talon before, he wasn’t now. It was like a deep, pleasant ache filling him up. Like his heart beat for Talon.

Talon pushed Vegeta onto his back. He lubed Vegeta’s straining, dripping erection and pressed it into his tight opening. He eased down on Vegeta, making them both cry out. Vegeta groaned, “Gods, Talon, you feel incredible. You are incredible. I…” Vegeta swallowed his words again, determined not to have his self-control undone by half a glass of wine.

Talon’s lopsided grin made Vegeta gasp more. Once he was up to the hilt in Talon’s heat, Talon bent to kiss him more, his claws dragging delightfully over Vegeta’s chest, his abs, up his arms, onto his scalp again. Vegeta held Talon’s narrow hips in his hands, marveling at how much of Talon’s slender frame his large, rough hands covered. Vegeta squeezed his perfect hips, massaging down Talon’s thighs and back up. He undulated into Talon, slowly and deeply, making Talon throw his head back with pleasure. Vegeta couldn't stop whispering Talon’s name, or he feared he would confess his love.

The love welled in him. He knew Talon would discard him as he had tried to discard Talon, but this, what Talon was giving him, was such a gift. It was more than Vegeta deserved. He curled up to embrace Talon, pressing his face into Talon’s chest. Talon wrapped his arms around Vegeta and they clung to one another.

He could feel Talon was close and he breathed, “Come for me, Talon, come on me.”

Talon cried out and his release was powerful, driving Vegeta over the edge and he rolled deeper into Talon as they climaxed together. As he inhaled the scent off Talon’s skin, his tail hesitantly wrapped around Talon, holding their bodies together. Talon pulled the tip carefully to his mouth and nose, breathed deep through the fur, and cried out as he smelled. Vegeta felt renewed clenching and Talon shot another spray of cum on his chest. Talon nuzzled his tail breathlessly, and his claws scratched it tenderly, running along the length in smooth, loving strokes as he whispered an apology.

Vegeta crushed Talon against him, kept his face hidden, and breathed through his simultaneous urges to cry and profess his love. Talon released his tail and pulled Vegeta’s face off his chest to kiss him deeply. He kissed Vegeta until he was laying back and Talon relaxed on top of him. They kissed and kissed until Talon dismounted to get another towel.

He cleaned them off and made to get back in the bed, but Vegeta stood quickly and threw Talon over his shoulder. He bit Talon’s ass, provoking a round of laughter. Then he snatched up their wine and carried Talon and the wine to the bathroom. He set the wine on the ledge above the tub that seemed designed specifically for that purpose.

He turned the water on, Talon still laughing and draped over Vegeta’s broad shoulder. He cackled wildly when Vegeta produced bubble bath from his bag.

“You have bubble bath, Captain? The surprises—“ Talon chortled merrily, “and the disregard for regulations, never end.”

“Quiet, soldier. I’ve had enough of your lip!” Vegeta said, and bit Talon’s ass again, laughing.

Talon said, petting Vegeta’s tail, “Mmm…it didn’t feel like you’d had enough of my lip.”

Vegeta retrieved the cheeseboard and the book. Vegeta’s tail seemed to have forgiven Talon, or at least given up wallowing in its sadness. It was coiled around Talon, its tip flicking along Talon’s jawline, making the Namek giggle. Vegeta didn’t want to set Talon down, but he did want to recline in the hot water with him.

“Will this even feel good for you? Or will it be too cool?” Vegeta asked, as he gently put Talon down in the tub.

Talon stared at him, his eyes penetrating, and Vegeta panicked, unsure if he’d insulted Talon by referencing his body temperature. Vegeta stammered, “Sorry—I—since your body temperature is higher than mine even, and Saiyans are already above average temperature—I—“

Talon kissed him hard to cut him off. He whispered, “Vegeta, stop,” softly against Vegeta’s lips. After a lot of dizzying kisses, Talon continued, “It still surprises me how…thoughtful…you are, Captain. It keeps knocking me off balance. I…I had an idea of how this would go and you keep blowing it up.” He paused, kissed Vegeta more, pulling their hips together. “I’ll be okay. We Nameks may be hot, but we have incredible temperature tolerance. It’s one of our great adaptations. You’d be hard pressed to kill a Namek by exposure.”

Vegeta flared a nostril and said with dismay, “I don’t want a bath to feel like fucking _exposure_ —“

More kisses. Talon was very effective at shutting Vegeta up. After so many kisses that Vegeta was panting, he said, “Vegeta, it’ll be lovely. Get in the fucking tub.”

The tub was still filling, but Vegeta climbed in, slipping behind Talon and spreading his legs as he reclined. He pulled Talon back against his chest and smirked as his tail helped. He kept one arm tight around Talon, but held the book up in his other and started to read aloud.

Talon startled and leaned to look at Vegeta. Interrupted him to kiss him hard. Then searched his eyes. Vegeta’s breathing quickened. He thought he saw love in Talon’s eyes. His chest constricted and he pressed his lips to Talon’s, their eyes open and speaking the words neither man dared to say aloud.

Vegeta moved the book and started reading in between kisses until Talon was laughing too hard to kiss. Vegeta continued his mix of reading and kissing until Talon turned his face away, but Vegeta migrated to kissing his neck. Talon laughed uncontrollably, and the sound filled Vegeta with joy—something he so rarely felt.

Talon chortled, “Vegeta!” and squirmed in the water.

“Hold still or you’ll get your book wet! It would serve you right with your archaic paper books, soldier,” Vegeta said, but couldn’t keep his own laughter at bay.

“Put the book down, Captain!” Talon wheezed, in between bouts of laughter. 

“Insubordination is a very serious offense, soldier, one step from mutiny. Dangerous stuff. And, no, I want to know what our heroine is going to do!”

Talon reclined to the side and pulled Vegeta’s mouth to his smiling mouth. “You are out of control, Captain, mutiny is the only option left to me.”

Vegeta read a passage, then kissed Talon more. Then he whispered, “Oh, soldier, you know that if you mutiny, I’ll have to subdue you. Punish you. Using any method I see fit.” He kissed Talon savagely and stared into his eyes, “Mutiny’s a dangerous business…” Vegeta said in a low purr. His tail snaked over Talon’s hip, coiled high on his thigh. It dared, for the first time, to touch Talon’s dick.

Talon gasped in Vegeta’s mouth as Vegeta moaned at the sensation. His tail’s nerves felt perilously close to how his cock’s felt and he tried to get his tail to stop as his hard-on pulsed against Talon’s back. He bent his will to making his tail stop, but as it pulled slightly away from Talon’s hard-on, Talon growled, “Don’t you dare stop, Vegeta, don’t make it stop.”

“Talon,” Vegeta groaned, “I’m going to come if I don’t…”

“Then fucking come, Vegeta, because ah…ah…I’m gonna come…come with me, Vegeta, fucking come with me!”

Vegeta’s eyes went wide at the new sensation of coming from tail stimulation and Talon’s cock slid through the coil his tail had made. Talon’s gasping cries made Vegeta come even harder and he trembled in the still rising water.

Talon’s head fell back on Vegeta’s shoulder and Vegeta clutched him tighter to his body, breathing his name on every exhale until his heart finally slowed. Talon rolled his head lazily to look at Vegeta, turning on the full charm of his lopsided smile and said, “Captain, I don’t think _that_ was a standard training exercise.”

“Gods, soldier, I didn’t even know that was a _possible_ training exercise,” Vegeta said, kissing him deeply. “Fuck, Talon, you wreck me.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Talon whispered and reached for his wine. Vegeta kissed along his arm. Talon’s face told him that this surprised him too. Talon took a long sip and ate a little, wiggling against Vegeta with a contented sigh. Then he saw Vegeta was still holding the book and he chuckled. “Well, get on with it, Captain.”

Vegeta smirked and kissed him as he whispered against his lips, “So much insubordination makes me question who’s really in charge here, soldier. Who has the upper hand.”

Talon’s eyes glittered and he gave Vegeta another long, open-eyed kiss. Once he pulled away, drinking more wine, Vegeta began to read again. He read until the water was too cool for him, since Talon seemed genuinely unbothered by temperature. 

Vegeta’s mind raced as they climbed into bed to actually sleep. There was so much he wanted to say since this would be there last time together, but the evening had been so perfect that Vegeta didn’t dare ruin it and cut their time short. So he held his tongue. Talon curled into his arms and Vegeta’s tail coiled around Talon’s leg, making Talon smile as he gently petted it.

“Vegeta…” Talon said.

“Mmm?” Vegeta said, sleep descending on him like an avalanche.

“I…” Talon’s body tensed. “I…this…this was nice.”

Vegeta felt the sting of tears as he whispered, “Thank you for tonight, Talon. Sleep well.”

* * *

They spent all of the next day reading to each other, fucking, laughing together, and generally having more fun than Vegeta thought he deserved. His love for Talon exploded in him, became nearly uncontainable. His tail had reverted to its completely affectionate nature. It was quick to forgive, or perhaps better at distancing itself from the inevitable agony the next day would bring.

In the evening, Talon wanted to go out to eat. Vegeta said, “Talon…I’m too…too notorious. It would compromise your safety.”

“I could go and I’ll get a table and you can get a table next to—“

“Talon…No. One of my men is already sniffing around. What if I go get good food—I’m so used to the mess it’s incredible to eat actual food—you go down by the lake, and we can set up picnics near each other? Then it won’t be so obvious, okay?”

“Vegeta, do you really think us being together would—“

“More than me fucking you in the town square. People expect me to fuck. There’s no shortage of people I’ve fucked, but a meal together would be like a giant flag notifying them that you're important to me.”

Talon made a grumpy face. “Oh fine. But bring the food here. Someone might see you giving me food out there.”

Vegeta kissed Talon. “I’m sorry”

“Go on, I’m starving. Fuck your apologies.”

Upon Vegeta’s return, Talon chuckled at his startled expression: Talon wore his tangerine-colored shirt. Talon said, “You obviously liked it. I didn’t want to disappoint you with something less boring.”

Vegeta gave him a smirk and said, “This is your boring shirt?” before he pulled another box from behind his back. 

Talon’s eyes widened. “Gods, Vegeta, you didn’t need to—“

“No, I didn’t. I _wanted_ to do it. Open it and we’ll go eat.”

Talon kissed him and tore into the box. It was the fuchsia jacket and slacks that matched the shirt he’d gotten Talon. Talon actually squealed with delight, then kissed Vegeta more until Vegeta gasped, “We have to eat while it’s hot. You can try it on when we get back. Come on. You can fly right?”

“Of course. You’re not that much stronger than me.” Vegeta flared a nostril and Talon snorted. “Fine, maybe you are, you muscle-bound, genocidal, war-lord. Let’s go eat.”

Vegeta handed him food and a blanket. Talon flew to a well hidden area on the beach. Vegeta scanned the surrounding area for spies or paparazzi, not that the press was a thriving industry on Cooler, but Frieza allowed the gossip magazines as a diversion for the populace unless they mentioned Frieza or his father. Those ones always disappeared.

Vegeta set up near Talon, with himself well hidden by a giant rock outcropping. Most people wouldn’t bother looking at a lone, hot Namek having a picnic. But people would look and gawk if Vegeta was spotted at his leisure. He leaned against the rock and watched Talon eat.

Talon’s smile played at his lips. He flopped on his back when he finished eating and read another chapter aloud, very quietly, knowing Vegeta’s superior Saiyan hearing would catch it, while it was unlikely anyone else would. Vegeta closed his eyes in the last light of the sun. He loved listening to Talon. He opened his eyes again when Talon stopped reading.

Talon looked around, then undid his fly, slid his hand into his pants and moved so he could look at Vegeta. Vegeta’s breath caught—was Talon going to—right out in the open? Vegeta looked around, but Talon was somewhat hidden by the rocks and people were mostly farther to the north where there was actual sandy beach.

Talon slid his pants down, popping free. Vegeta swallowed hard as Talon turned his most seductive, lopsided grin and his smoldering eyes towards Vegeta. Despite the exhibitionism of what he was doing, Talon didn’t rush. He stroked himself slowly, but Vegeta could practically feel his firm grip. Talon played with his balls with his other hand. Vegeta saw Talon’s chest rising and falling faster. His own did too.

Vegeta’s tail lashed wildly and Vegeta finally grabbed it so its flicking wouldn’t draw unwanted eyes. Vegeta was rock hard, aching to fuck Talon, but also completely engrossed in watching him.

Talon unbuttoned his shirt, baring his abdomen, and Vegeta stifled a groan as he understood why. Talon used his first two fingers of his free hand to pinch and pull his nipple, his other hand moving faster and squeezing harder until Vegeta heard Talon’s breathy cry as he spurted on his own bare belly, his hips still rising toward his hand.

Talon had watched Vegeta the whole time and now his eyes were pure fire. Vegeta packed up his meal as Talon cleaned himself off, buttoned his shirt, zipped his fly, and sat up as if nothing had happened.

Vegeta returned to their room as calmly as he could manage. He fell on his back on the bed, his hips humping nothing, but he couldn’t stop them. They were as insolent as his tail. He closed his eyes tightly to try to get ahold of himself. But suddenly his hips were not humping nothing: Talon was on them. He gripped Talon’s hips and ground hard against him. His eyes flew open and met Talon’s and he growled, “That, soldier, was a very serious breach of conduct and I am required by my dick to administer punishment immediately.”

His fingers raced down Talon’s buttons and pushed the shirt off his shoulders, curling up to sit on the edge of the bed. His tail wrapped around Talon’s waist as Vegeta frantically unzipped his pants and shoved them down. “Do you even know what that did to me, Talon?” Vegeta growled.

Talon slid his hand inside Vegeta’s pants and whispered, “I think I do. It must’ve been hard on you, so hard,” he gave Vegeta the same treatment he’d given himself and Vegeta thrust helplessly into his hand.

He tore Talon’s hand away, ripped his own shirt off, and stood enough to shove his pants down to his knees. He sat back on the edge of the bed as he slathered himself with lube and gasped, “Okay?”

Talon nodded frantically as they kissed and Vegeta pushed deeply inside Talon’s heat in one long, smooth thrust. Talon wailed, pre-cum pouring out of him, and Vegeta shouted, “Talon, oh my gods, Talon…I…I…gods, Talon, Talon, Talon!” strangling the three words he most wanted to say with his love’s name. 

Vegeta had never said those three words. They terrified him: the power they would bestow on Talon; but also that he _could_ feel such a thing, a thing as soft and merciful and kind as love. Tears stung his eyes as he buried his face in Talon’s chest, let Talon clutch him, as he pistoned up into Talon so desperately that he did another thing he never did: he came first.

He gasped as he finished, plunging deeply, and said, “Fuck, Talon, I’m so sorry—“

“Shut up, Vegeta, I’m so close…take me over the edge, baby!” he rasped and kissed Vegeta aggressively.

Vegeta pumped into him, growing hard again, and he felt Talon’s climax and hid his face in Talon’s shoulder as another wave of intense emotion swamped him.

They rocked together with their aftershocks, but Talon wouldn’t let him stay hidden. The last of the sun’s light was gone and Vegeta didn’t know if Nameks had good night vision like Saiyans. He didn’t dare ask, he just tried to wipe his tears on his shoulders. Talon clasped his face as they kissed, then stopped suddenly, pulled back, and lightly ran his fingers over Vegeta’s cheeks. He kissed Vegeta’s tears as Vegeta’s tail moved ceaselessly on Talon’s bare skin. Talon pressed their foreheads together and smirked as he said, “It’s okay that you came first.”

Vegeta laughed through his tears and appreciated Talon’s attempt to lessen his dual humiliation. He kissed Vegeta more and his brow furrowed. As if he knew there was nothing he could say to soothe Vegeta’s actual sorrow, he only kept kissing on him, rocking on him until they were going at it again, and Vegeta supposed maybe _that_ was the only thing that could make Vegeta feel better.

* * *

The next morning Talon was admiring his new suit in the bathroom when Vegeta decided to do something stupid. He quietly rifled through Talon’s bag and pulled out the orange shirt. He smelled it and closed his eyes. It was perfect. It was Talon. He balled it up and stuffed it to the very bottom of his own small bag. He took several deep breaths to calm himself after his theft.

Talon emerged, looking fantastic, if very flamboyant. Vegeta grinned helplessly. Talon did too. He sat on Vegeta’s lap and purred, “You must not have consulted your tail; if I wear my shirt tucked in, there’s no easy access to my skin.”

Vegeta’s tail darted up Talon’s pant leg, marking his calf, pulled out, and zipped up to his collar, brushing his nipples as it shamelessly marked his chest, then down his back, covering him in Vegeta’s scent. Talon laughed and squirmed.

“It’s not subtle, you know,” Vegeta said with a smirk. His eyelids fell heavy as he tipped Talon’s face to his to kiss. He murmured, “You look amazing. I wish I could see people’s faces when you strut on base.”

“What do I say when people ask how I could afford this? Because people will.”

“Say you won at cards.”

“Okay. But I don't even know how to play poker.”

“Tell them you decided to never play another hand again. To quit while you were at the top,” Vegeta said against his lips, still kissing Talon. His ribs felt like they were growing spikes inward, piercing his lungs, his heart, his soul, if he had one.

“Mmm…that’s how I feel about fucking. I’m at the pinnacle. I’ll just retire.”

Vegeta pulled back, tried to control his tail. It, in turn, held Talon’s hand. Talon absently caressed it with his fingertips. Vegeta choked out, “I guess…I guess I better let you go. I don’t want you to _actually_ get in trouble with your superior officer.”

Talon stood reluctantly and picked up his bag. His eyes glistened and he said, “I…Okay. Yeah. Goodbye, Vegeta. I had fun. And thank you. Maybe I’ll see you around base.”

“Goodbye, Talon. Thank you for everything. Take care of yourself,” Vegeta’s voice was a shadow of itself as he spoke.

Talon pulled him to his feet, kissed him again so passionately that the spikes in his chest grew spikes of their own. Vegeta almost said the words, but they got caught on the spikes. His tail was tight around Talon’s wrist, panicky, and thrumming. Talon stepped away and turned toward the door and Vegeta had to pry his tail off Talon with his fingers, which made Talon’s face collapse. He left with his hand over his mouth, eyes wet, and he slammed the door behind himself.

Vegeta sank back onto the bed, held his face in his hands, and wept.


	3. Hybrids

Vegeta volunteered for an extra mission when he got back on base. It left that afternoon and he could transfer directly from it to his next mission without returning to base, giving him twelve days off base to purge himself of the love that was eating through his insides like acid. The only thing immune were the spikes in his chest.

Against his better judgement, which he seemed to ignore entirely these days, he had stopped at the clothing shop on his way back to base. He picked a short-sleeved, lightweight shirt in a beautiful, vibrant turquoise with a mix of flat and metallic koi swirling in the watery pattern. He paid and arranged for it to be delivered in a week, foregoing a card completely: Talon would know. Vegeta didn’t know why he did it beyond wanting to be able to imagine Talon’s delight when he opened it. He thought that might carry him through some of the darkness ahead.

He prepared for his return to base by stockpiling nutri-bars so he could avoid the mess hall entirely on his next break. Ignoring the tattered remains of his judgement, he checked Talon’s schedule and ground his teeth when he saw their breaks would sync up again. But he resolved not to bother Talon again. Talon was right, it wasn’t fair for Vegeta to use him. Only it didn’t feel like using Talon: it felt like trying to fit love in the cracks of Vegeta’s shitty life as a slave to a powerful asshole.

The missions did nothing to lessen his suffering. They were boring. Too many soldiers for too little work. Neither planet was to be depopulated, so Vegeta was actually supposed to avoid violence. It was not what Vegeta needed. The hot, aggressive soldier that propositioned Vegeta was not who Vegeta needed. Vegeta turned him down and was relieved that Radditz wasn’t on this mission to be suspicious.

His only relief came once he climbed in his pod. He pulled the orange shirt out of the hidden storage compartment and pressed it to his nose, inhaling Talon’s scent. He let himself indulge in the memories of their time together only in his pod. He killed his scouter and his pod-com. He tried to take the edge off his lust, but he only missed Talon more every time he touched himself.

Upon his return he hid the shirt in the secret compartment in his locker. He took a shower and decided to go into the city to eat rather than mope around base for his two days off and risk seeing Talon. He pulled on his civvies. He froze. Something crackled in his pocket, even though he had laundered everything but the orange shirt before he left. He was perplexed. He pulled out a piece of paper—bright orange with lime green stripes. He unfolded it and found beautiful, flowing handwriting on the other side:

_Captain,_

_Training exercises required again. Report to standard location at sunset if available for inspections._

_-Your Soldier_

Vegeta’s heart ricocheted around his ribcage, impaling itself on so many spikes. Even so, Vegeta felt like he could breathe for the first time in twelve days. He burned the note in his palm as he heard the familiar sound of Nappa getting pounded by Radditz. He hated that he couldn’t keep the note, but wouldn’t risk Talon’s safety for another memento. The shirt was dangerous enough. He hurried out before his fellow Saiyans saw him in civvies again.

He felt ebullient as he made his way around the city, he got food and drink for the evening. He dropped them and secured their usual room. The woman almost smiled at him. Vegeta wondered if he’d killed anyone she loved. If she was biding her time to betray him, or whether she just saw a lovesick idiot, and it amused her that she had cleaned up piles of his giz-crusted linens.

He went back out to find something to light up Talon’s face. He wanted to get them an encrypted com-link, but he suspected Talon just wanted one more bout of good sex before he moved on. And that was good. That was safer. That was what Vegeta told himself he wanted too. Because he wanted Talon to be safe.

Vegeta never spent money, which was only a minor part of why he had so much of it, but he liked spending money on Talon. It was the first time he’d been grateful for his wealth. He wanted to spoil Talon. Even if this was it, he thought he’d probably send Talon gifts occasionally just to imagine his perfect smile.

This time he chose something less bright, but no less flamboyant, and he hoped that it would please Talon. The suit was silver, shimmery fabric that felt like sex. It was sexy and made Vegeta ache to be able to take Talon out on his arm to show off his pretty Namek boyfriend. If Talon were his boyfriend. Vegeta held back bitter tears. It would be impossible. But he did formulate a plan for their evening, if Talon was amenable.

The shirt he chose was blood red, covered in silver and white tigers with cobalt blue eyes. Vegeta almost left it at that, but he spotted a necklace of some ethereal blue metal: a slinky, flat chain, and it looked so perfect with the ensemble, that he bought it. He knew it was excessive. He knew Talon would object. But he didn’t care.

Vegeta also chose a suit for himself. It was strange black material that seemed to suck the light out of the air, and paired it with a vivid blue shirt, sleek shoes so soft Vegeta could sneak up on a cat. He’d never worn anything like it, but he thought Talon would enjoy that too.

After having everything wrapped up, he returned to the bookseller. This time, he went with something he thought Talon wouldn’t have heard of. Vegeta and Radditz had come into some information about the whereabouts of Radditz’s younger brother who had escaped Frieza’s purge of the Saiyan race. Some backwater planet in a mostly uninhabitable system: Earth, the native, semi-intelligent life called it.

In his nosing around about the place, he had discovered that one of the only resources it seemed to produce was good books. The bookseller had an interest in rare, out of system books, so Vegeta had asked him to get ahold of a volume by an ancient playwright called William Shakespeare, who was revered on Earth. Vegeta gave the man a list of other Earth volumes he would like, but the Shakespeare was the easiest to come by, so he hoped that the man had been able to procure it already.

Vegeta spoke at length with the seller, who had found a copy, and he seemed pleasantly surprised by Vegeta’s erudition. Most people were: they expected him to be mindless brute, which he certainly could be. But Vegeta had many facets, he was simply only infamous for the one. Vegeta, in turn, had been pleasantly surprised by the seller’s zeal to procure the things Vegeta requested—for once it seemed to be not because of fear, but from mutual excitement about the practically unheard of volumes.

As Vegeta returned to their room, his eyes went wide and he ducked into a narrow, dark alley. He scented Zarbon and heard the sing-song tone Vegeta knew, from distasteful experience, was Zarbon’s way of flirting. Vegeta spotted the object of Zarbon’s attentions and sucked in a sharp breath. It was one of Cui’s little minions that worked on the same wing as Talon. Only six or seven doors down.

Vegeta listened to their banter to see if Zarbon was working the idiot for information or sex. He breathed a deep sigh of relief when it became disgustingly obvious that sex was the primary objective. Vegeta trailed them anyway, all the way to a squalid fuckpad he knew Zarbon favored. Vegeta had heard enough, but he would warn Talon to be wary of the minion.

He moved stealthily back toward the boarding house, even more conscious than usual of anyone potentially tailing him. He prepared the room, then decided to lurk nearby and ascertain whether anyone was watching Talon.

Vegeta scented his love long before he saw him, but Vegeta moved through the shadows and crannies of the city unnoticed until he could watch the young Namek. Talon was fearless, which Vegeta normally admired, but not when it was born of naïveté. If Talon wanted to continue seeing Vegeta, he needed to learn healthy fear. Healthy paranoia.

Vegeta felt confident that Talon was not followed, though. He liked watching Talon move through the world with his easy smile, his easy laughter, the sensual, controlled way he moved, more like a dancer than a soldier. Talon appeared to be looking for something as he entered a flea market, but it was impossible to know what, given the odd array of wares to be found. Vegeta melted farther into the shadows as the sun set, and waited to follow Talon to the boarding house.

Talon wore the shirt Vegeta had had delivered, along with ridiculously vivid green slacks, but despite their color, Talon still looked dashing. Sexy. Irresistible. Men’s eyes followed him, ogling Talon’s perfect, taut ass, and leering when Talon’s less tantalizing full smile found them. Vegeta’s blood boiled, seeing men receive any smile from Talon, but Vegeta knew it meant nothing. Talon was just like that.

Vegeta froze as he saw Zarbon and his little bitch moving through the market. Zarbon’s eyes fell on Talon and he pushed through the crowded stalls to speak with him. Vegeta almost blew his and Talon’s cover as the slimy prick started to flirt with Talon right in front of the poor sap who had likely just had a very disappointing sexual experience.

Talon impressed Vegeta, though. Talon put Zarbon off without ever seeming to understand that Zarbon was flirting and Vegeta could see that Zarbon left thinking he’d misread Talon’s sexuality. And he had—Vegeta knew Talon might not be his, but he would never fall for someone as repugnant as Zarbon. Once Zarbon was long gone, Talon slumped with relief. Vegeta’s poor love had obviously been terrified. Vegeta slipped away, just to be certain that Zarbon wasn’t lingering nearby.

Vegeta watched Zarbon until he and his unfortunate conquest were nearly through the north gate, Zarbon looking slightly confused, likely by his interaction with Talon, and the other man looking shocked and disappointed. Vegeta felt sorry for the small soldier, who probably couldn’t have turned Zarbon down if he wanted to—he walked awkwardly now, like he was uncomfortable. Which Vegeta had no doubt he was.

Returning to Talon, Vegeta saw that he was almost to the boarding house. After a last check for spies, Vegeta slipped into the room through the balcony, which he had left unlocked. He waited in the gloom. Talon came in and shut the door behind himself. He leaned heavily against it, breathing hard. He held his hand over his mouth. Zarbon must’ve shaken him even more than Vegeta realized.

Vegeta kindled flame in his palm and sent it to light the candles he’d bought. Talon startled, but his eyes lit on Vegeta and he raced across the room. He threw his arms around Vegeta’s neck and whispered, “We’re fucked. We’re totally fucked. Fuck, Vegeta. Oh gods.” Talon kissed Vegeta everywhere, frantically, his hands touching Vegeta like he was afraid he wasn’t whole.

“Talon? Are you okay?”

“Zarbon knows, Vegeta. He knows.”

“What? Why do you say that?” Vegeta had heard everything Zarbon had said, seen the entire interaction.Zarbon didn’t know, he was just predatory, and Talon was a beautiful, guileless young prospect.

“I saw him! In the flea market around the corner.” Talon shook himself like a wet dog and made a noise of disgust as he said, “And, oh, I feel so vile, he actually made a pass at me. I managed to put him off without pissing him off, I think, but I feel slimy just thinking about it.”

“Yes, that is how one feels after Zarbon’s attentions,” Vegeta said drily, a revolted shiver rippling through his body. “But he doesn’t know. Don’t be mad, but I saw. I heard. I was tailing him to make sure he wasn't pumping that poor fellow for information—that guy works in your branch—but he wasn’t. I almost lost my shit when he spotted you and came on to you. But you were brilliant. Perfect. I think he just thinks you only fuck women.”

Talon cackled and flushed. “That is exactly what I was going for!”

“Well done, soldier. He went back to base. We’re okay, this time, at least.”

Talon breathed a huge sigh of relief. Then he smiled his perfect lopsided smile, the one Vegeta felt was just for him, and said, “Thanks for…for…”

Vegeta kissed him, slid his hands up under Talon’s shirt onto his back, clutching at him like he would fly away. Talon wrapped his arms tighter around Vegeta’s neck and fell into the kiss, skydived into it, and Vegeta groaned, despite his best efforts. He had truly believed that he would never get to touch Talon again, let alone kiss him.

He caressed Talon’s face and murmured, “Talon…” but kissed him more before he said something stupid. He could feel Talon was on the verge of tears, still trembling. Vegeta pressed their foreheads together. “I’ll keep you safe. But he doesn’t know. I promise. Not yet.”

Talon sat on the bed, bumped the suit box, which he hadn’t yet seen in his terror. He looked up at Vegeta and chastised, “Vegeta, you can’t keep doing this!”

“I know, but I can’t stop either. Do you like this one?” Vegeta ran his hands over Talon’s shoulders and fell to his knees in front of him, pressing his hips against Talon’s obvious arousal. Before Talon could answer, Vegeta said with sincere gratitude, “Gods, Talon, I missed you. I’m so glad you’re horny enough to tolerate me again.”

Talon finished pulling Vegeta’s shirt over his head, but stopped moving their crotches together. His eyes narrowed and he said, “Do you honestly believe that?”

Vegeta’s eyebrows scrunched up in concern. He felt like this was a trap. Vegeta didn’t like to fall into traps, but he couldn’t see a way around this, so he answered warily when Talon remained silent, scrutinizing him, “Yes…”

Talon caressed his face, held his jaw, and kissed him before he said, “You stupid, stupid man. Why do I have to feel this way about such a stupid man? This stupid, wonderful, sexy, intelligent, shockingly kind, and thoughtful man.”

Vegeta opened his mouth to speak, trying to make sense of Talon’s words. He said, “I don’t know?”

Talon laughed, kissed Vegeta, and said, “Gods, maybe _I_ make you stupid. I’m not here because I'm horny, Vegeta,” Vegeta’s face must’ve betrayed his disappointment, because Talon continued quickly, “Let me rephrase: I’m not here _just_ because I'm horny. I had fun last break. A lot of fun, even when we weren't fucking. Didn’t you?”

“Obviously. That’s an absurd question,” Vegeta said huffily.

“So here I am. To have fun again. Don’t be surly. Just enjoy me again. With no promises, though. It scared me, to see Zarbon like that.”

“It should scare you. And, if I may be so bold, I advise you never to sleep with him. Never.”

“Have _you_ slept with him?”

“No, oh dear gods, no! But he tried. Rather forcefully. And I’ve slept with those who have and…he’s a monster.”

“Yeah, he gives me that creepy ‘I’m gonna rip you to shreds’ vibe.”

“And worse. Promise me you’ll try to stay out of his sights as much as possible? Especially when I'm away. And…even after we part, if you ever…if you ever need help, please, know that I’ll always protect you if I’m able.”

Talon nodded. He pulled Vegeta against him again and kissed him furiously. Vegeta’s hands flew up Talon’s buttons. Talon undid his own fly and Vegeta lifted him easily and whipped his pants off, making Talon laugh as he said, “Gods, you’re so strong.”

Vegeta ran his hands over Talon’s muscle-ridged abdomen, but left his shirt on. Vegeta said, “You didn’t answer me—do you like it? Or did you just wear it to please me?”

“Can’t it be both?”

“Yes, but is it?” Vegeta asked.

“No, I don’t like it,” Talon whispered, kissing Vegeta deeply. Vegeta tried to pull back, but Talon kissed him hard and continued against his lips, “I love it.”

Vegeta smirked and said, “I believe, soldier, that you enjoy fucking with me, and as your superior officer, I’m going to punish such insolence.”

“Oooh, Captain, I do like fucking with you. I _love_ fucking with you, because you are so godsdamned good at it.”

Vegeta chuckled and said, holding Talon’s face in his hand, “It looks amazing on you. Can I fuck you with it on? It makes me feel like you’re mine…” He bent to suck Talon’s nipple, circling the other with his thumb.

Talon groped for the lube with one hand while he shoved Vegeta’s pants down with the other. He took Vegeta inside himself and Vegeta gasped with the sudden heat. “Fuck, Talon, it is so hard not to blow my load the second I’m inside you, you feel so fucking good. I missed you every day. Every second.”

“I missed you, too,” Talon groaned as Vegeta rocked into him. “How do you feel this good? Can you stop fucking me so perfectly? I can’t get over you if you keep fucking me like this. Stop being so good.”

“No…” Vegeta breathed against Talon’s jaw as he sucked along it, “I don’t think I will stop. I think I’m going to keep fucking your tight, delicious ass until we’re exhausted, and I’m going to make you come so hard, so many times, that you never forget me.”

Talon writhed against Vegeta and gasped, “It’s not fair.”

“Oh, I think it is. If you can fuck me like this, my…it’s turnabout.” Vegeta caught himself as he almost called Talon his love. Talon had noticed the abrupt way Vegeta had elided some part of his thought.

Talon said, “I think you’ll forget me easy enough.”

Vegeta caressed his face, kissed his mouth, drove into him hard, and whispered, “No, I’ll never forget you, Talon. So many others, yes, but never you. I can’t even forget you long enough to take a single breath. And fuck, I have tried. So hard.”

Vegeta fucked Talon slowly, but deeply. Once he was fully inside Talon, he pulsed hard, reaching for more length, then eased himself out, and did it again and again. Talon begged and pleaded, gripping Vegeta’s ass. Vegeta’s tail hesitantly wrapped around Talon’s waist, its tip slinking up and down Talon’s shaft.

Talon gasped with a smile and looked down at it. “You saucy little minx—even you missed fucking me!” His eyes squeezed shut and he cried out, “Now, Vegeta, come with me now!”

Vegeta strained to push more length into Talon and Talon practically howled with pleasure. Vegeta was startled by the explosiveness of his own orgasm, enhanced by the sensations rippling through his tail. He gripped Talon’s thighs to stay inside him as his climax surged through him. He groaned, “Talon, fuck, Talon…” as his mouth found Talon’s gasping mouth, sucked his lip, and dragged down his neck to rest on Talon’s collarbone. “Gods, I’m so glad you came back to me…even…even one more time.”

Talon folded his wiry lithe body around Vegeta and shook with what Vegeta assumed were aftershocks, but as the quaking persisted, Vegeta realized Talon was crying. He gripped him tightly. “Oh, shit! Talon, did I hurt you?” Vegeta said and pulled Talon’s face away from his neck.

“No, no, I’m okay.”

“Talon, you have to tell me if I hurt you. I’m so sor—“

“Vegeta, I’m not hurt. My ass is perfect. I’m just…I don’t know…I just want to be with you, but I get it. I get it now, after Zarbon. And it sucks. I thought maybe I could just keep fucking you and learn to be detached, or that I’d eventually make you like me—“

“I _do_ like you! That’s why this is so fucking terrible. I’m never here to protect you, and even if they don’t hurt you, they’ll use our relationship to destroy my position and I’ll end up in the exosystems as a guard in a mining colony.”

“Why? I don’t understand.”

“Talon…There’s…there’s an unspoken rule, but very much enforced, among Frieza’s top tier warriors. A rule against this. Against us.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Because we’re different species.”

“Fucking seriously. That is some antiquated bullshit—“

“No, it’s not that, I mean maybe partially, I don’t know, but Frieza hates hybrids. He fears them.”

“That is the dumbest fucking—“

“Talon, _he’s_ a hybrid. He killed his own mother to hide it. But it’s why he’s so much stronger than his father, so he fears that another hybrid might be stronger still. Especially a Saiyan hybrid. He fears the Saiyans above all other species. If you were male, he might let it slide, but you’re not. We could breed, and he would crush us to avoid that.”

Talon held his face in his hands and sobbed. “Fuck. I shouldn’t have come last time.”

Vegeta whispered, “I’m sorry. I should have left you alone.”

Talon shook his head. “No. I’m full of shit. I was lost after our first evening together. There's no undoing what you did to me.”

Vegeta’s stomach dropped and he said, “What? Did I…did I hurt you somehow? Fuck, Talon, I thought you might—“

“No, Vegeta, you’ve never physically hurt me. I just…I can’t change that you weren’t simply good dick. Because you were that. Are that. But dick is dick. I could move past that. I now know you’re fun too, and caring, and sweet. And your tail likes me, even if you don’t.”

“My tail is like a really drunk version of me. It has no inhibitions. It’s honest. It’s sensitive. And picky. Very picky.”

“Well, nice to know I’m up to your tail’s standards, at least—“

“Talon—you’re not being fair. I care about you a lot. I just can’t. I feel shitty enough about risking your safety by coming tonight. I don’t know how to reconcile wanting to be with you and wanting to keep you safe.”

Talon sighed. “I know. It’s easier for me if I pretend that you’re a callous jerk and that you’re just using me for sex. Or if you could just be mediocre in bed. When I flirted with you, I knew your reputation, and I was fine with it because you’re super hot and we have good chemistry, but…but…I wasn’t mentally prepared for this. I thought you’d be like a hot, wittier Radditz.”

Vegeta guffawed until tears of mirth streamed down his cheeks. Radditz wasn’t an idiot, exactly, because he was cunning. But he was basically an idiot. Vapid and shallow and boring. Vegeta chuckled out, “No wonder you were surprised. I have my flaws, but I’m not an idiot like him. Well, usually. I might be an idiot with you. But he’s so boring.” Vegeta laughed more and then continued, “We can’t fix our predicament, so open your fucking presents and cheer me up.”

Talon grabbed the first box and said, “How can me getting presents cheer you up?”

“It just does. It doesn’t just cheer me, either,” Vegeta gestured to his renewed hard-on, “Now open. I have plans for us tonight. So get going.”

“Vegeta—where will I put all this stuff?”

“We’ll figure that out later. Maybe she’ll let us leave them here for a price.”

“I already lost one shirt by accident by leaving it here.”

“You did?” Vegeta said as nonchalantly as he could.

“My orange one. Your favorite,” Talon said with a grin, “She said she didn’t find anything except a lot of well-used towels.” Talon chortled.

Vegeta flushed. “Did she actually say that?”

“She did. She was teasing me. You were right, she definitely knows who you are. She got all conspiratorial and whispered, ‘Prince Vegeta is waiting for you,’ when I came in.”

“So much for discretion.”

“There was no one else around and she was very quiet. I think she thought I’d just come for the shirt and that she was being helpful by letting me know my man was upstairs.”

“You’re stalling, open your presents! If you don’t want to deal with them, you can sell them for cash after this break, but let me enjoy your face. Open. Open. Open.”

Talon obliged and the first one was the shirt. His eyes lit up and he ran his fingers over it, breathing out, “Fuck, Vegeta, these must cost a fortune. I’ve never seen anything like them. This is beautiful. You think I’ll look good in this color?”

“It’ll be gorgeous on you. Though everything is gorgeous on you. Open the rest, then you can try it on.”

When he opened the suit, he put his hand over his mouth and his eyes met Vegeta’s. They were almost scared. “Vegeta,” he whispered, “seriously, I can’t. I know how much a suit like this costs…I can’t accept this. You can’t—“

“I can and I did. And you can. You will. Do you like it?”

“Of course I do! I love it! For someone who wears the most boring clothes possible, you really have exquisite taste.”

“I try to imagine what you would pick out if you were with me. It would be so much fun to take you shopping.”

Talon sighed. “I couldn’t even walk into a store like that. I’d probably pass out. I would die from covetousness.”

“Well, not with me you wouldn’t. You’re so cute when you talk about clothes. Now open the last one.”

Talon laid the boxes reverently aside. He bent to kiss Vegeta where he sat on the floor. He kissed him and teased him up onto the bed. Talon rolled onto his stomach, but Vegeta stopped him and said, “No, I like looking at your face.”

“Lay on top of me, all our skin will touch, I’ll hold your hands, you can kiss me over my shoulder, please? I want it like this. I want you like this.”

“You were so angry and sad after I took you from behind last time,” Vegeta said.

“That had nothing to do with sex position. That was because I wanted to be what I can’t be.”

Vegeta said, “Fine, but don’t get mad afterwards,” and he slid into Talon, groaning and pushing Talon’s legs wide. He pressed his body carefully down on Talon, knowing his full weight would hurt him, and Talon’s hands snaked over top of his forearms and laced his fingers with Vegeta’s. He turned to the side so Vegeta could kiss him, and it was okay. Maybe better than okay. Talon’s taut ass pressed against him, squeezing tight as he pulled away from Vegeta, opening up when he pushed back to accept Vegeta’s thrusts.

Vegeta was surprised by the tenderness of their loving, despite the position. In the past he’d always found this position to be more of a hurried, rutting kind of sex. He pulled Talon up on his knees after a while, so he could thrust deeper. Vegeta’s tail clung to Talon’s thigh, the tip lazing back and forth on Talon’s ass cheek until Vegeta gasped, “Gods, Talon, I can’t hold out. My tail…it’s…are you close?”

In lieu of answering, Talon bashed back against Vegeta, tearing at the sheets and reaching back to trail his fingers through the fur of Vegeta’s tail, which made Vegeta bellow with pleasure and intensified his release. He bucked hard into Talon and Talon wailed as he soaked the sheets in semen as he came and came and came.

Vegeta pulled out gingerly, then fell on his back, waited in terror to see if Talon would reject him again. His blood whooshed in his ears and his breathing was harsh. It felt like an eternity, but Talon finally turned his head and gave Vegeta the smile he lived for before he flopped onto Vegeta’s chest.

“Holy fuck, Vegeta. Wow. We are not sleeping in these sheets tonight.”

“No, we’ll give her more than cum-covered towels for her sassy attitude.”

“I love the suit, Vegeta. I wish I could wear it and go out with you,” Talon said, kissing his pecs.

“Mmm…do you?” Vegeta purred.

“I mean, I wish I could go out with you at all.”

“Does that mean you’d be amenable to a convoluted plan to sort of go out together?” Vegeta said, his hands and tail running over Talon’s skin.

“Oh my, Captain, have you been scheming?”

“Only a little. Buying it made me sad that I couldn't take you out and show you off, see everyone slaver over you, but I realized that I almost could. What if I go to a bar—a classy bar, not some soldier’s dive—and I’ll have a drink. You come in. I see you. And I do what I would do if I saw you across a bar, and send you a drink. You come over, we chat, have a few drinks, then…I strike out. You leave alone. I feign dejection, leave shortly thereafter. Meet you back here and ravish you. It’s not quite a date, but…”

“Do you think it’s safe? I think I should strike out, not you. No one would believe, if what you say is true of your infamy, that you would strike out. It has the added benefit of making me seem like nothing to you. If I spurn you, someone watching might think I was valuable to you.”

“Hmm…a valid point. Very well. Fuck, I’ll be hard-pressed to even pretend to reject you,” Vegeta said, tipping Talon’s mouth up to kiss.

“I promise I’ll let you make it up to me upon our return to our room. But you’re going to stand out in any decent club with the way you dress.”

“I’m Frieza’s warhammer, no one would dare say anything.”

“I would,” Talon said with a smirk and a kiss.

“I know, because you like it when I punish your mouth, don’t you, soldier?”

“I certainly do, Captain.”

“Open your last present and we’ll go out.”

“Okay, okay, gods you’re bossy,” Talon said. He grabbed the present and laid back, wrapped in Vegeta’s arms. Vegeta’s fingers rippled over the different textured skin on Talon’s arm. Talon hefted it. “This is a very fat book.” He tore the paper off and read the cover. “I’ve never heard of anyone by this name. Very unusual. Plays and sonnets. You never cease to surprise me. Thank you,” Talon kissed him, then sniffed the book and grinned. “It smells old. I love old books.”

“He is old. He died nearly a thousand years ago in Earth years.”

“Earth? Where the hell is that?”

Vegeta explained and Talon’s grin returned. He propped himself up on an elbow to look down at Vegeta. “You got me a book from halfway across the universe, from a system with no advanced space tech, by an author who was alive a thousand years ago? How?”

“One can have anything if one knows the right people. I’ve heard wonderful things about their modern literature as well. So I’m trying to get my hands on some of those books. This should be unlike anything you’ve ever read.”

Talon flipped through it, stopping to read passages periodically. He rolled up onto Vegeta, kissed him, and said, “I think they mention you in here, Captain.”

“Do they now? And what do the Earthlings have to say about Prince Vegeta?”

“‘You have witchcraft in your lips.’” Talon bent and kissed him and kissed him and kissed him before he whispered, “Never have truer words been said of you, Prince Vegeta.”

Vegeta ran his hands over Talon’s lithe thighs and chuckled. “You started all this with your witchcraft. You’ve even bewitched my poor, innocent tail.” Vegeta’s tail was flicking happily, as it did sometimes when he and Talon bantered. It was the only time it could bear to be apart from Talon.

Talon said, “I don’t know about poor, but innocent that tail is not. It’s saucy and shameless.”

“Just as well, I have plenty of shame for the both of us.”

“Well, you shouldn’t, my Captain.”

“Yours now, am I?”

“Let’s go out and see if I can pick you up, make you mine,” Talon said, rolling off him.

Vegeta told Talon where the bar was, made him promise to be careful and mindful of his surroundings, and then shepherded him into the bathroom to change. As Talon closed the door Vegeta cried, “Oh! Wait! I almost forgot.”

“Forgot what?” Talon said, watching as Vegeta retrieved the necklace. It was in a small flat box, almost book-sized, so he hoped that Talon would think it was another book. Talon continued, “Vegeta, holy shit, no more presents! You’ll out us!”

“Us?”

“Well, I mean, I don’t know! No more.”

“We’ll see. Now open it. I don’t know if you’ll like this one, but maybe you’ll humor me and pretend?”

Talon looked perplexed as he took the box. He opened it more slowly, his eyes darting toward Vegeta, but they went wide once he opened the small box. He picked it up, letting the smooth metal slip over his fingers. Then his eyes met Vegeta’s. “Vegeta…holy fucking gods…” Talon gasped, then his face became serious again and he said, “Why? It’s insane, you should take it back, Vegeta.”

“Do you not like it?” Vegeta’s eyebrows drew together.

“Of course I like it, Vegeta! Gods it is so beautiful. Otherworldly. I don't even know what it’s made of, but I know expensive as fuck when I see it.”

“It was, you’re right,” Vegeta said.

“Vegeta!”

“If you like it, I want you to have it, Talon. Other factors are completely irrelevant. even if our fake date is the only time you wear it and then you pawn it, it will have been worth it. Worth it to see your face now. To see you wear it. How beautiful it will look on you.”

“But—but—but—“ Talon stammered, his eyes wide and searching Vegeta’s.

Vegeta held his shoulders and said, “Talon, would it soothe you to know that this money is of no use to me if I can’t spend it on you? I’m an extremely wealthy man and I don’t like buying shit for myself, or anyone else besides you, for that matter. Let me do this. Don’t feel guilty, or encumbered, or any other negative thing. Feel spoiled. Feel…cared for…” Vegeta had almost said ‘loved,’ “Feel like you’re bringing me more joy by accepting this gift than any other use of that money possibly could.”

Talon breathed, “Do you really mean that?”

“I do. It is the only light in the dark, some days,” Vegeta said, his heart aching at the thought of these few days being the end of his time with Talon.

“Help me put it on?” Talon asked and handed it to Vegeta.

He clasped the necklace and ran his fingers along the metal, already hot from Talon’s skin. “It’s perfect,” Vegeta murmured and kissed Talon, “I’m going to get dressed and go so I get to see you for the first time at the bar. Be careful, okay? You’ll look very muggable in all your fancy clothes.”

“I am a trained warrior,” Talon said.

“I know. Still.”

“I will,” Talon said with a last kiss, “I’m excited.”

Vegeta slapped his ass. “Mmm…me too.”

Vegeta quickly dressed in his new suit and slipped out the door. The owner looked him over in surprise and blushed when he smirked at her. Vegeta could hardly wait to see Talon’s face. He reconnoitered the entire walk to the bar and saw no spies or threats, so he hoped Talon wouldn’t linger too long. Vegeta scanned the bar as he walked in, saw no one of interest. He hoped this place would price out most of Zarbon’s employees.

Vegeta chose a table by a window overlooking the lake. He sat facing the door, as he always did. Enough light fell on him that Talon would be able to see him, see what he was wearing. The table was cocktail height and Vegeta could hardly wait to see Talon’s lithe body stretch out while sitting. Talon was a couple inches taller than Vegeta, but it never felt that way because Vegeta was so much bulkier, heavier, and broader.

Vegeta had gotten checked out more than once as he walked through the bar, and as the eyes crawled over him, they snapped away in terror upon seeing his face. He shamelessly assessed each of them. He wanted people to think he was on the prowl. The waiter brought him a drink and he sipped it slowly.

Panic had begun to set in by the time Talon finally walked in. Talon moved gracefully to the bar. Vegeta had guessed his measurements perfectly and the suit fit like a well-made glove. Talon’s build was so like a model’s that he could wear a suit off the rack and have it look tailored. Wealth looked good on Talon. He took Vegeta’s breath away, and the bartender’s too, by the looks of it.

Talon gave the man his easy smile and ordered a drink. Talon flirted for a moment, then sat with his drink, letting his eyes casually roam the bar. They started in the corner farthest from Vegeta. Either Talon was an even better actor than Vegeta thought, or he hadn’t yet seen Vegeta. Talon raised his glass to take a drink, and stopped, his highball halfway to his mouth. His eyes were on Vegeta. They went wide and his mouth went slack, took in all of Vegeta before they met his gaze. Vegeta gave Talon his most debonair smirk and ostentatiously checked him out. He finished his drink while Talon watched.

Talon took a long drink, then tore his eyes away. He leaned across the bar, said something to the bartender, who clearly tried to warn him about Vegeta. Talon looked past the bartender and gave Vegeta a love-inducing, lopsided smile, and turned back to the bartender, said something else. The bartender shook his head, but mixed a drink. He handed it to Talon.

Vegeta leaned back in his seat to watch Talon move through the bar. Everyone ogled Talon, but when they saw his destination, they flushed and hid their faces. No one wanted to check out someone that Frieza’s murderer-in-chief had his eye on. A drunk man stood to intercept Talon, nearly touching him, which might have driven Vegeta to action, but the man’s companion yanked him back down in his seat and nodded in Vegeta’s direction. The man paled and seemed to shrink in his seat as Vegeta gave him a stare that let him know death had been but a touch away.

Vegeta was hard just from watching Talon saunter toward him. He should have been a dancer, probably would have been in a just world, not a soldier. Vegeta imagined Talon on a stage and got even harder.

Talon reached him and set down the drink, slid it to Vegeta. His lopsided smile made Vegeta weak. “May I join you?” Talon asked.

“By all means,” Vegeta said, gesturing to the other seat.

Talon, being a better actor, extended his hand and introduced himself. Vegeta took it, kissed Talon’s knuckles, and said his own name as a flush spread across Talon’s cheeks.

Vegeta should have predicted that Talon would enjoy the charade aspect of the night, given how their first time together had been. Talon said, “Oh? Are you _the_ Vegeta, of some notoriety?”

“The same.”

“I’m new to this system, but I’ve heard of your…exploits. It’s nice to put a very handsome face to a fearsome name. You’re very well dressed for someone so murderous. Exquisite suit, if I may be so bold.”

“You are very bold, Talon, if _I_ may be so bold as to use your name?”

“Mmm…I like the sound of it on your lips,” Talon purred.

Vegeta flushed like a school girl and felt an uncontrollable grin spread across his face. He murmured, “You look exquisite.”

“Isn’t it a fabulous suit? The best lover I ever had, truly a master in the bedroom, gave it to me.”

“Oh? The suit does look excellent on you, but the suit is not what I find exquisite. Said lover was a fool to let you go. He must be a complete idiot. But at least he has taste. I bet he’s quite the dresser. Though I think I’d prefer your suit crumpled on my floor.”

“You are bold, Prince Vegeta. He could be a complete idiot at times, but mostly, he was wonderful. Perfect. Very difficult to move past. That’s why I’m out tonight.”

“That does sound like it might hinder my chances, but I wonder if I might render assistance in moving past this man foolish enough to let you go?”

“We’ll have to see where the night takes us, your majesty, I like to improvise,” Talon said and took a long sip of his drink.

They spent hours talking easily in the bar and Vegeta’s heart filled with even more love. Patrons came and went, eyes rippling over Talon, skittering away as they hit the dark, muscular form of Vegeta. Vegeta was vigilant and it both worried and delighted him how engrossed Talon was: like Vegeta was the only thing in the world. It felt magical. Dangerous. Intoxicating.

Vegeta stopped drinking after the drink Talon brought him, but Talon got several more drinks. Vegeta quietly paid for all the drinks, even Talon’s first drink and the one he “bought” for Vegeta with cash. He tipped very generously.

As last call approached, Vegeta said in a low voice, “Time to fake walking out on me.”

“But I’m having fun,” Talon said, drunkenly.

“As am I, my sweet soldier, but you must stumble out of here, very sad, and very alone. Wait for me in the dark alley two blocks down, do you know where I mean? You’re too drunk and tempting for me to let you walk home alone in this city.”

“Vegeta?”

“Mmm?”

“This was wonderful.”

“It was. Thank you for indulging me. Now I’m going to fake reject you. Are you too drunk to act as skillfully as you did earlier?”

“No. It’ll be easy, I’ll just think about you leaving again.” Even as he said it, his eyes filled.

Vegeta made his face hard and sneered as he said, “I’ll see you soon, wait for me,” then louder, “Get out. You’re too fucking drunk to be of any use,” and Vegeta waved his hands dismissively. Like he was disgusted.

Talon made a show of trying to touch Vegeta and Vegeta swatted his hand away. Talon took his jacket off the chair and fled. The bartender tried to hide his surprise, but his eyes were also hungry as they followed Talon’s body out the door. He turned to look at Vegeta as Vegeta grabbed his own coat, and readied himself to leave. Vegeta barked, “What?”

The man bowed deferentially and stammered, “Oh, uh, can I, uh, can I get you anything else, sir?”

Vegeta threw an extra tip on the bar and snarled, “Not unless you can direct me to an establishment where I can round out my evening?” Vegeta wanted to cultivate the rumors that he had switched to whoring.

“Sir, yes, uh, do you have, a, uh, a, a preference of style, sir? That you’re interested in?”

“Something clean.”

The man directed him and he stormed out. The moment he was out of the light, he bolted to the alley. Talon lurked in the shadows, but gleamed in his silver suit. Vegeta checked to make sure he was alone in the street. He ducked into the alley and kissed Talon feverishly. He whispered, “Let’s go home, I need you.”

Talon said nothing, just kissed Vegeta desperately. Then he said, “I’m drunker than I thought, so I’ll follow. I’ll leave plenty of space. Flick your tail if I should veer off, if you see anyone who might know us.”

Vegeta took off. He was nowhere near drunk, but he still felt drunk. The taste of liquor on Talon’s lips had been surprisingly arousing. He thought Talon without inhibitions might be very interesting. The walk home was blessedly deserted and the front desk was empty. Vegeta waited inside the door for Talon, who came in shortly with flushed cheeks. When his lopsided smile spread across his face, Vegeta picked him up and sprinted up the stairs.

In their room, Talon shoved Vegeta’s jacket off his shoulders, kissing him like Vegeta was air. As his hands raced down Vegeta’s buttons, he said, “Aw, you wore buttons for me,” and he unclasped and unzipped Vegeta’s trousers, “And a zipper. You do like me. Two different forms of clothing closures.”

“Careful, soldier, that smart mouth is going to get you punished,” Vegeta said, grinning against Talon’s lips.

“I like when you punish my mouth,” Talon said, but he melted against Vegeta, even graceful when drunk and continued more sadly, “Oh, Vegeta, what am I going to do without you?”

Vegeta undressed Talon, held his face, kissed him and kissed him and kissed him. They were both on the brink of tears. “I can’t think about it, Talon. I can’t even think past this moment, how good it feels to hold you, to kiss you, to be with you. Don’t make me think ahead. Let me pretend that we can just be like this. Gods I wish I could be with you instead of having you as a secret.”

“Vegeta, gods, I need you. I need you, please, I know you don’t like it from behind, but I need it. I’ll cry if I look at your face right now. Please,” Talon begged and bent over, one foot on the bed, spreading himself wide.

Vegeta dropped to his knees and licked Talon’s tight pucker until Talon begged him to stop and fuck him. Vegeta thought Talon was right, his love was so intense just then, so overwhelming, he didn’t know what he would do, what he might say, if he were looking into Talon’s eyes. He pushed into Talon. It only took Talon moments to come. He came so hard that Vegeta cried out with the powerful grip, “Fuck, Talon!” and spurted inside his beautiful Namek.

He kept thrusting until another giant orgasm ripped through Talon. Vegeta put his fingers against the muscular ring of Talon’s anus as he came, and felt it grab and release on Vegeta’s cock and it made him come again, so hard tears sprang into his eyes. He curled over Talon as his abs cramped and his insatiable tail stroked Talon mercilessly to a third orgasm.

Still Vegeta thrust into him until Talon said, “Vegeta, pull out, I want to watch you come! Please, please, pull out!”

Vegeta did and Talon spun and pressed close to Vegeta, but didn’t quite touch him. Talon gasped, “Come on my dick, baby, please. I came everywhere, you get to see me come all the time, but I want it. I want to see you come, Vegeta, please. Please, baby?”

Vegeta groaned and said, “I’m not quite there, Talon, I don’t think—“

“I know, I know, stroke it, hurry, I need it, slip a finger in my ass while you do it, Vegeta, I need to see. I need to watch you touch yourself.”

Vegeta slid his hand over Talon’s firm ass and curled a finger into him. Talon’s ass immediately spasmed on his finger and Vegeta cried, “Ah! Ah! Talon! Grip me like that and I think…I think…” Vegeta’s muscles tensed and his cum splattered Talon’s belly and chest and dick. Talon yanked their hips together and Vegeta gasped as Talon’s tip released another jet of semen. Vegeta wailed in response, his muscles had never relaxed, but somehow managed to milk another pulse of his seed out of him onto Talon.

Talon rubbed their dicks together and Vegeta moaned. He had never done that and it felt incredible. Talon swirled his around Vegeta’s, so slick with cum, that Vegeta could’ve used it as lube. Talon groaned, “Fuck, Vegeta, keep fingering me, gods, deeper, deeper, deeper, ah—“ and Vegeta reached inside Talon. It sent shockwaves through Vegeta and triggered his own body, as if it were his prostate, not Talon’s, that he was milking. Another huge orgasm wracked his body, this one spilling all over Talon’s dick and testicles, and Talon cried out and drenched Vegeta’s cock in even more cum.

This finally seemed to sate Talon, and Vegeta kissed him furiously, helplessly, as their hips rocked and slid together in the slick of their combined semen. Vegeta’s tail clamped Talon’s body against him and he groaned with another aftershock, biting Vegeta’s lip, then kissing him with gusto as he said, almost slurring, “Shower, hmm? I think, Captain, that we might not pass muster as we are.”

“Indeed, soldier, if you’ll do me the honor of allowing me to scrub your perfect body clean, and give you shower head, that would be spectacular.”

“But, Captain, my mouth is the one that needs punishing, and your perfect dick is the only way it can be administered.”

“Then we ought to get started right away, soldier. The night wears on.” Vegeta ran his fingertips along the necklace, which practically glowed against Talon’s collarbone. His tail skimmed over the back of his neck. “Gods, Talon, I want you to be mine.”

“Vegeta, I am. I am. I want to be yours,” Talon said, then huge, drunken sobs burst out of him.

Vegeta kissed over his face and carried him into the shower. It was an endeavor to clean so much semen off themselves and soon they were both laughing through their tears.

Vegeta filled the tub once they were clean and lifted Talon in with him. Talon was still very drunk, a liquid in his arms as they reclined. He rested his head on Vegeta’s shoulder while Vegeta kissed his neck. Talon’s fingers trailed along the necklace and he said, “I think my uniform will cover it. I could wear it under my uniform.”

Vegeta tipped Talon's mouth toward him and kissed it. He murmured, “The showers will be the problem. I worry someone will try to take it off you and you’ll get hurt.”

Talon snorted. “People have tried to take more than that off me in the shower, Vegeta, and none have managed yet. I’m surprisingly scrappy and Namek warriors aren’t Saiyans, but we’re pretty tough.”

“I know. I’ve seen you during actual training exercises—“

“When?” Talon asked with a huge smile.

“Oh, well, I was intrigued after our flirtation that first time, so I came by to watch. You know I can be…possessive.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘stalker-y.’”

“That’s not really a word. And I can worry, even if you are formidable. Have men really tried to do that to you?” Vegeta felt his rage rising at the thought, even if Talon wasn’t his. No one deserved that.

“Look at me, Vegeta! Of course they have. Didn’t anyone try with you before you were so notorious?”

“Some tried even after. That’s why I don’t drink. Shortly after I’d secured this planet, earning Frieza’s rare pleasure, Zarbon got me drunk. He almost got the best of me, and beat me within an inch of my life, probably regrets not going that extra inch—probably would have fucked my corpse because he's just that kind of guy. Stay away from him, Talon. I mean it. If you get nothing else from our time together, take that advice.”

“I will. I’m sorry.”

“No one bothers you anymore, do they?”

Talon shrugged. “Sure they do. The last guy that tried, I really fucked up, so hopefully word will continue to spread that I’m not worth the trouble, but I always worry it will filter up to someone who likes a challenge.”

“When? When was the last one?” Vegeta said in a low, menacing voice.

“Hmm…Like two days after our last tryst?”

“Who?”

“Vegeta, if you murder someone on account of—“

“There will be nothing left of him and no one will know why. Who?”

“Vegeta, I’m fine. He’s not. But I am.”

“I can’t stand that I can’t protect you without making your life worse. Gods,” Vegeta tore at his hair and growled.

Talon rolled over and straddled Vegeta in the steaming water. Talon kissed him deeply and held him. Vegeta slid his hands up over Talon’s hips, onto his back, and crushed their bodies together. Talon gasped his name as they kissed more and more.

They kissed until the water cooled and the sun was rising. Talon was still drunk, but less teary. Vegeta stood up with Talon on his hips and took him to bed. He laid Talon down and lubed himself. He murmured, “Can I slide inside you? Or should I warm you up?”

“I need you, Vegeta. Now. Right now,” Talon groaned and spread his legs wide.

Vegeta thrust into him and they gasped into each other’s mouths. Vegeta gripped Talon’s thigh as he drove hard into him, kissing more frantically. His tail couldn’t decide which limb it wanted to wrap around so it wandered from one to the next, trailing its tip along Talon’s body and making them both groan with the pleasure of it. Vegeta could smell that it was marking Talon, covering him in Vegeta’s scent and it was so fulfilling, he wished he could do it every day.

Vegeta trembled as Talon combed his finger through the fine fur, scratching it lightly. He said, “Talon…I…I…” but he didn’t dare say the words. It wasn’t fair to Talon. It would only increase his suffering.

Talon nodded and kissed Vegeta, murmured, “I know. I know, Vegeta. One more day and night, at least, right? At least we have that.”

Vegeta surprised himself as he started to cry, burying his face in Talon’s neck. Talon held him and shushed him and they made such slow, sweet love that by the time they came together, Vegeta thought they would both shatter.

Vegeta finally slept after rolling onto his back, holding Talon tightly in his arms. He murmured Talon’s name as he drifted off, just to keep the other words out of his mouth.

* * *

Talon yawned and stretched in the bright sunlight that glistened off the lake. He climbed onto Vegeta and started to rock his hips as Vegeta feigned sleep. He moved more aggressively, then slathered Vegeta with lube, sliding down his cock with a happy sigh.

Vegeta groaned and cracked one eye. His tail slipped drowsily around Talon’s waist, flicking against his nipples. Talon whispered, “Wakey, wakey, Captain. You have work to do today because your Namek soldier is insatiable. Rise and shine.”

Vegeta gripped Talon’s hips and thrust harder into him, smiling as he heard Talon gasp. “I think I’ve got the ‘rise’ part handled, if not the shine.” He opened his eyes and Talon’s face lit up with his half-smile. Vegeta caressed his cheek and said, “You’re the one who shines, my—soldier.” Vegeta’s mouth was going to get him in trouble if he didn’t keep it otherwise occupied.

He met Talon’s eyes, feeling ashamed, but what he saw there made him think he could say it. That it would be reciprocated. Yet it felt cruel to say it when he could do nothing about it. It seemed like it would only increase Talon’s suffering. So he kept his words, curled up, and kissed Talon to show him. Talon was a hands-on man, after all.

They’d slept only a few hours, but Vegeta would forego sleep entirely if it meant more time with Talon. After they’d made love several times, Talon got up to use the bathroom and called, “I need food. I drank too much last night.”

“I’ll go grab something. Any requests?”

“Yes, order in so I don’t miss a single second with you,” Talon said, still in the bathroom.

Vegeta smiled and joined him, bent to kiss him on the toilet. Talon laughed and said, “I’m pretty sure kissing on the toilet is a whole new level of intimacy.”

“Or maybe I’m just trying to hurry you along or I’ll have to piss in the shower like the savages on base.”

“Gods, they’re so disgusting!”

“No one does it near me anymore, but I know they do it when I’m not there, the filthy cretins. There are urinals and toilets not ten feet away,” Vegeta said and kissed Talon again. He didn’t think he could go for more than a minute without kissing Talon.

Talon stood and slapped Vegeta’s ass. He chuckled and said, “Kissing me is not an effective method for making me piss faster,” he gestured to his rising hard-on. “But I must have food, so you can’t do a thing about this until food is en route.”

“Then decide what you want, because I’ve only got one appetite right now…”

Vegeta ordered a massive amount of food and then laid kissing Talon as they waited for it to arrive. He didn’t need anything more, he just wanted to be with Talon, feel their bodies together. Kiss him. And kiss him. And kiss him.

The food arrived and Talon wouldn’t let Vegeta put on his pants. Instead they both ended up in Talon’s boxer-briefs on the balcony. They were tighter on Vegeta, since he had more mass, but they covered the necessary bits for decency. Talon smirked as he inhaled a mountain of crepes. “I’m going to get you some of your own, you look so delicious in them.”

“Mmm…I’ll just take yours because you look so delicious in nothing.”

“You think I look delicious with or without clothes.”

“Too true, soldier, it’s problematic how delectable you are no matter what.” Vegeta pulled Talon into his lap. He pressed their foreheads together and gave him a quick kiss. They continued eating with Talon reclining in Vegeta’s arms, Vegeta’s wary gaze scanning the surrounding area, his nose to the breeze in case any trouble came calling. 

When Vegeta had had his fill, he buried his face against Talon’s chest while Talon finished eating. Talon whispered, “You okay?” and shoved his face into Vegeta’s hair.

“No.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

“Hung over?”

“Don’t be an idiot, Vegeta. You know exactly what I mean.”

“I know. It’s easier if I pretend you’re sick of me. That you don't want me,” Vegeta said.

“That requires some pretty elaborate pretending,” Talon said, laughing as he pointed at his hard-on.

“It was easier last time when you told me I’d never get to see you again. Never touch you again.”

“Was it easier?” Talon said, his eyebrows coming up in a little worried peak in the middle.

“Well, no, I guess not. I was fucking miserable.”

“Yeah, me too,” Talon said, relief spreading across his face.

Vegeta let his mouth roam over Talon even though they were still on the balcony. Talon ate more and said, “You’re going to be hungry later if you only dine on Namek sweat now.”

“But you’re so tasty,” Vegeta whispered.

Talon laughed and pulled Vegeta’s mouth up to kiss as he murmured, “You are insatiable. The very definition.”

* * *

Vegeta lost himself and his sorrow in Talon all day. They never bothered with clothes and their evening meal they ate in bed, reading passages from Shakespeare to one another. Talon dozed some in Vegeta’s arms, so Vegeta read silently for a while, but when Talon woke and turned his lopsided smile up to Vegeta, Vegeta said, “‘For where thou art, there is the world itself. And where thou art not, desolation.’” and he bent and kissed Talon, holding his tears in check. He liked that Shakespeare could capture love without using the word. 

The sun had already set and Vegeta felt time slipping through his fingers like sand, as Talon flopped on his back after riding Vegeta backwards and said playfully, “You say you don't like rear entry, Vegeta, but you do like touching my ass while we fuck.”

“I like touching your ass anytime, soldier. And if you put it right there, it can’t be helped.” Vegeta propped himself on an elbow to lean and kiss Talon. “Are you feeling okay? Even for us, we’ve fucked an insane amount today—is your ass okay?”

“Gods, yes, Vegeta. You are the best top. People were right about that.”

“Mmm…I think you might just be the best bottom. I don’t know that I’ll ever enjoy sex again. You’ve ruined me. I’ll have to become celibate.”

“I hope not, even if I’m jealous. I don’t want to deprive the fresh bottoms of the world of your expert fucking.”

“Mmm…so we’d have an open relationship then? With me tapping virgin ass? Virgins aren’t a kink of mine, but I’d do it for you. But I’m not sure I’m willing to share you.”

Talon blushed and Vegeta wondered again if Vegeta had been his first. He wanted to ask, didn’t know if he dared, it would only add to his guilt and shame that he couldn’t be with Talon. He suspected he was Talon’s first, that Talon had picked Vegeta out for his reputation and gotten more than he bargained for when he started his flirtation.

Talon said, “Mmm…I would fuck you so much you’d never have anything left to give. Those other bottoms can find their own perfect tops.”

“Gods, that sounds like heaven. I have no idea how to move past you, Talon,” Vegeta said and scrubbed his hand over his face. His tail, which had been flicking lazily, hurried to wrap tightly around Talon’s leg, as if to reassure itself that no such thing would happen.

“Probably with enough meaningless sex, I’ll fade from your memory.”

Vegeta kissed Talon, looked into his eyes and said, “You’ll never fade, Talon, even years from now, if I’m on the other side of the universe, doing gods know what, you’ll be there. Always. I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

Talon said nothing, but kissed Vegeta so frantically, so long, that Vegeta couldn’t help but crawl between his legs and push into his heat. Talon gasped his name over and over, and Vegeta hid his tears in Talon’s neck.

* * *

They never slept the second night. The day’s lovemaking had been zealous, frantic, needy. But after dark, it changed and morphed into a sinuous thing, long and slow and passionate. They drew everything out, stretched their pleasure as tight as a violin string, then played it. Vegeta had never had sex that even remotely resembled what they did to each other, and he supposed it was because they were making love, no longer having sex, even if they weren't calling it that aloud. Though it was fucking too, because there was such intensity underlying every kiss, every touch, every thrust. And a sense of doom too.

Vegeta knew that they’d both tried to accept that this was their grand finale. Their coup de grâce: the final, frantic blow to the love that had erupted like an enormous volcanic island, rising from the secret depths of their hearts.

They showered the next morning and this time it was Vegeta who had to be back on base. His mission was only six days. As they made love a final time in the steam, their mouths kissing nonstop, their hips undulating, their hands trying to store up the memory of the other’s body, Vegeta felt tears leak out of him again. Walking out of Talon’s arms even for a mission felt like a terrible blow, but leaving him forever felt like suicide; long, slow, poorly executed suicide.

Talon came hard, and Vegeta saw he was crying too. Vegeta followed, his abs aching from so much coming. They gasped and wept in the steam, still kissing. Time raced on and Talon finally choked out, “Go. You have to go. I can’t walk with you. I’m going to need a few minutes to get ahold of myself.”

“Fuck. Fuck. _Fuck,_ ” Vegeta whispered and finally pulled out of Talon. He kissed Talon and staggered out of the shower. He’d brought a uniform with him this time to salvage a precious few extra minutes, but he was due on base in less than half an hour. He dressed, bawling like a child, gathered his things, and pulled himself together, temporarily at least. Talon emerged from the bathroom, red-eyed and shaking.

Vegeta whispered, taking a small liberty with Earth’s great bard’s words, “‘Come what sorrow can, it cannot countervail the exchange of joy, that one short minute gives me in your sight.”

Talon threw his arms around Vegeta and they kissed and kissed until Vegeta gently broke away and said, “Thank you, Talon. Thank you. Goodbye.”

Talon held his mouth and nodded, crying in great heaves. Vegeta’s tail was rabidly tight around Talon’s thigh and as Vegeta and Talon unwound it, they both got hard. Talon met Vegeta’s eyes. Vegeta checked the time. Fifteen minutes. Talon whispered, “Please…”

Vegeta threw him on the bed, lubed himself quickly with his pants around his knees, and they bashed their bodies together, crying out in ecstasy as Vegeta rammed desperately into Talon, holding both his thighs, and looking into Talon’s reddened eyes. They came quickly and Vegeta snatched his tail before it could misbehave. He tucked himself back into his pants, took several deep breaths with his face in his hands.

Once he’d stayed imminent tears, he opened his eyes, but it was a mistake. Talon was curled on the bed sobbing.

“I’m so sorry,” Vegeta said, “Did I—“

“No! Fuck, Vegeta. Just my heart. You tore my heart into tiny little bits. Go. Get the fuck out or you’ll be late. Fucking go!” Talon shouted.

Vegeta kissed him savagely and strode to the door without another word. Talon cried, “Vegeta! I’d do it. I’d risk it, for you. To be with you. I’d be your secret. I’d do anything for you, Vegeta.”

Vegeta said nothing, and closed the door. Sprinted away from the wracking sobs that shredded his heart, broke him, and made fresh tears rise in his eyes.


	4. Full Scale Mutiny

Vegeta fought two more missions before he lost the battle to deprive himself of Talon. He hated himself for being willing to risk Talon’s safety, but he couldn’t breathe without Talon. Couldn’t eat without him. Couldn’t survive without him. Vegeta didn’t know if he’d ever find something that made him so happy again. And he’d had so little happiness in his life. He checked a few things on the network and made a foolish, selfish decision as he breathed through the orange shirt on his return flight, Talon’s scent transporting him back to his love’s arms.

He landed and made preparations, showered, and put on a fresh uniform. He waited for the appropriate time. And it felt eternal, even if it was only half an hour. Then he strutted to Talon’s office, looking as murderous as possible. Talon’s corridor was deserted, thankfully, and Vegeta incinerated the camera before he came in frame. He listened at the door, but heard nothing, smelled only Talon. His tail buzzed, when he scented Talon, and it took all his will to keep it from flicking happily back and forth.

He opened the door silently, closed it, and engaged the lock, hoping Talon wouldn't hear the tiny snick. Talon was bent over his holoboard with his back to the door, and he was shaking. Vegeta’s heart twisted painfully: Talon was crying in his brief downtime between meetings.

Vegeta’s tail whipped free of his waist and yanked Talon back against Vegeta. Vegeta’s hand flew to cover Talon's mouth before the startled scream could escape. He pressed his lips to Talon’s ear and whispered, “Soldier, did you mean what you said: that you’d be okay with sneaking around? With being my delicious little secret? I can’t acknowledge you publicly until I figure out how to protect you when I’m away. It means we’ll almost always have to go off base. Is this really what you want?” Vegeta’s hips were already rolling against Talon’s taut ass, and Talon pressed against his thrusts eagerly.

Talon nodded vigorously and Vegeta turned his face to kiss him over his shoulder. Talon said, “Fuck, you startled me, Captain.” Vegeta could feel Talon’s rapid-fire pulse where his hand still held Talon’s neck. 

Vegeta shoved his hand down the front of Talon’s pants and his tail shot down into Talon’s crotch. His tail squeezed and loved on Talon’s balls while Vegeta stroked him.

Talon gasped, “Vegeta, no, I don’t have time to go change, please—“

Vegeta spun him and dropped to his knees and murmured, “This okay?”

“Oh, fuck yes…” Talon groaned as Vegeta pulled him free of his pants and took his full length in his mouth. Talon leaned heavily against the door.

Vegeta slicked his fingers with spit and reached between Talon’s legs, slipped into his blissful heat, and curled two fingers against Talon’s prostate. He circled it, rubbed it, tapped it, all as he sucked his prick. Talon whispered, “Fuck, Vegeta—“ then bit his own hand as he bucked frantically into Vegeta’s mouth, his asshole gripping Vegeta’s fingers so hard that Vegeta almost came in his own pants as Talon filled his mouth. Vegeta moaned as he sucked Talon dry and swallowed.

Talon pulled him to his feet and Vegeta fixed his pants on his way up, though his tail stayed coiled happily around Talon’s thigh inside the stretchy fabric of his uniform pants. Talon kissed him more and said quietly, “You fucker. I waited for you last break. I thought I was going to die.”

“I know. I was trying. Failing. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t say goodbye like that each time, not knowing. I want to know I’ll get to see you when I say goodbye. I need to know we’ll be together again after I say goodbye. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes—but it’s going to get insanely expensive if we keep going off base, and—“

“Never mind that. I’ve told you, I have plenty of money. This is the only thing I can imagine spending it on,” he paused and smirked against Talon’s skin and whispered, “Besides maybe pretty clothes for my…my boyfriend?” Vegeta sucked down Talon’s neck.

Talon’s lopsided grin broke across his face like sunlight and he said, “I’ll be your boyfriend, if you’re asking.”

“I am asking.”

“Then yes. Yes. Gods, yes,” Talon said, kissing Vegeta more.

Vegeta’s whole body felt like lightning, like liquid bliss, when Talon kissed him. He murmured, “I’d rather tell the world about you. And someday, when I’m free of that fucking lizard—“

“I know. It’s fine. I just wish I could kiss you, touch you when I see you, you know?”

“I do know, because I want it too, I want to mark you as mine. Make all those other fuckers run the other way.” Vegeta’s tail squeezed Talon’s thigh, brushed his dick sensuously.

“Did your tail just talk you into this?” Talon asked, trailing his claws along the base of Vegeta’s tail.

“My tail is just more honest than I am.”

“I wasn’t supposed to like you, you know. That was not part of my plan,” Talon murmured.

“I thought you were an improviser?” Vegeta said, grinning.

“I am—that’s why I’m your boyfriend now, despite the fact that I wasn’t supposed to like you.”

“I am very unlikeable. I can’t help if you have terrible taste. I have fabulous taste, obviously, and I’m sorry you’re attracted to the likes of me. I only enjoy the highest calibre of man. Have you considered flirting with extremely hot, petite Nameks? In my, albeit very limited, experience, they are both excellent in bed and good company,” Vegeta kissed Talon more.

Talon pulled away, and said, “I’m not petite!”

“Compared to me you are.”

“Everyone is petite compared to you, Vegeta. Gods, your muscles, I don’t think of myself as weak for that sort of thing, but they played a role in my coping with your abandonment.”

Vegeta whispered, “I missed you,” and kissed Talon the way he wanted to kiss him. Like he would die without it, like it was a bodily necessity, like he’d never kiss another man.

Talon chuckled and said, “Your tail missed me.”

“I’m sorry that I’m so weak. That I’m putting you at such risk. But I can’t disappoint my tail,” Vegeta said, smiling against Talon’s lips.

“I don’t care about the risk, Vegeta,” Talon said flippantly.

“You need to care enough to be smart. Vigilant. Paranoid. And it’ll be hard sometimes. I can’t do this type of thing very often, but it is nice that you have your own office, it might mean occasionally we can be together aside from breaks.”

“My next meeting is soon—meet tonight?” Talon said, his eyes skittering over his shoulder to the door.

“Talon…I know it’s a lot, but we both have over ten days of leave built up, you have even more. I found a cottage south of the city about two hundred miles. It’s in the mountains by a river, very secluded. I thought…if you’re willing…it’s available and if you…we could take a holiday together. I’d want to stagger the day we leave and come back to throw anyone off our scent, but…I…”

“Yes, yes, yes, stop stammering and give me the details so you can get out of here before we get caught.”

Vegeta told him all the details of their holiday. They agreed Vegeta would leave that day and Talon would join him the following morning.

“You better rest up tonight, Captain, you’ll need your strength. You missed a lot of exercises while you were gone.”

“Mmm…you too, soldier, because I will have your ass for even the most minor offenses.”

Talon kissed him again, rolling their hips together, and said, “Gods, I hope so.”

Vegeta pressed their foreheads together and whispered, “‘Hear my soul speak: the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly to your service.’”

Talon’s lopsided smile filled the hollow ache in Vegeta’s heart and Talon whispered back, “I can’t believe you already memorized lines of Shakespeare.”

“It’s easy to remember when it so perfectly expresses the truth.”

Talon’s cheeks flushed and he said, “Go! Before you ruin everything!”

Vegeta said, “Oh, here, info to make my stop legitimate. Put this in for the mission listed. I cover my tracks, soldier. You do the same.” He turned to leave, but Talon stumbled after him chuckling. Vegeta’s tail hadn’t relinquished its hold on Talon’s thigh. Vegeta growled at it, “Don’t fuck this up, you insolent thing, come on,” and it slithered back around his waist. He left with the sound of Talon’s laughter in his ears, and it felt so much better to hide a smile than tears.

Vegeta put in his leave, changed into his civvies, and packed a bag. He slung it over his shoulder. Radditz intercepted him before he’d even left the lockers and said, “Are you going on leave, Prince Vegeta?”

Vegeta stared Radditz down and said, “I’m sick of everyone on this fucking base, and of shitty food in a mess hall, and crappy sleep on a rack of springs. So yes, Radditz, you insolent shit, I am going on leave, not that it’s ever your business.”

“You haven’t used your leave for anything off-base in—“

Vegeta cut Radditz off, “No shit, which is why I need to get off-base.”

Radditz maintained a raised eyebrow. Nappa came out of the showers and slapped Radditz’s towel-clad ass. He looked surprised to see Vegeta in civvies with a bag and said, “Whatcha gonna do on leave, boss?” Nappa’s curiosity felt so much more innocent than Radditz’s, but Vegeta knew the oaf told his mate everything Vegeta ever said.

“Not listen to you two fuck for the next few days.”

They both laughed. That seemed to satisfy Radditz more than Vegeta’s other answers, so he left, but he heard Radditz whisper to Nappa, “Is he fucking someone? It’s weird that he hasn’t had anybody in weeks. Let me know if you hear of anyone else going on leave today.” Nappa was so stupid and harmless that people told him a surprising amount of shit that they should keep to themselves.

Vegeta appreciated Nappa as he said, “He’s obviously been whoring and he’s embarrassed. Plus, since you’ve been tail-marking me, I think he’s jealous. I think he doesn’t like hanging out with us, so he’s been going off base. And I think he’s hit every single pussy on base.”

“I still want to know if anyone else goes off base tonight,” Radditz said.

Vegeta frowned, he hoped it was enough that Talon took leave on a different day, but his blood boiled at the necessity of the subterfuge. He hated that he had to wait until the next day to see Talon. Vegeta stopped at a few shops in the city. He kept himself under control so the boxes wouldn’t make him a giant target in the air.

Vegeta flew south, anxious to make sure the place he’d booked was satisfactory. It was a cottage in a mountain valley far to the south. There were no other houses for miles around. He’d ordered enough food, to be delivered today, that no one should visit them for the duration of their stay. No one would see Talon, or know that Vegeta had a guest at all.

Vegeta threw down his bag, hid the gifts. He went out and gathered firewood to use in the outdoor fire pit and the indoor fireplace. He reconnoitered the surrounding area for threats and defensive positions. But it felt perfect. All it needed was Talon.

Once the food had showed up, Vegeta made a point of letting the delivery boy come inside. He had left his solitary bag sitting in the middle of the entryway. He tipped the boy extremely well and asked him about local bars and whorehouses. The boy told him with a licentious smile, and Vegeta hoped that the story of his whoring would spread far and wide.

Vegeta hadn't been lying to Radditz, Vegeta was sick of base, and everything on it, but until he fell naked into a real bed after a real shower after eating a real meal, he hadn’t realized just how sick of base, and work, he was. But mainly, he feared, he was lovesick. He fell asleep, even though it was absurdly early, just to pass the time more quickly.

He assumed that he would wake up later that evening, but when he tensed as the bed shifted, bright light seared his eyes. But after a single breath, he scented Talon and smirked into his pillow. His tail flicked free of the sheet and wrapped around Talon’s waist, slipping under his shirt and onto bare skin. Vegeta’s tail was much stronger than most people expected, and Vegeta let the idea that it was more of a decoration than an actual appendage persist, even encouraged it. Now his tail hoisted Talon into the air as Vegeta rolled onto his back.

Talon yelped in surprise. Vegeta smirked as his tail lowered Talon onto him. Talon grinned broadly and slid his hands over Vegeta's pecs and shoulders, slipping them behind Vegeta's neck.

Talon chuckled and said, “I did not know it was that strong. You’re full of surprises, Captain. This place is a surprise, it must’ve cost a fortune to rent.”

“I told you not to worry about any of that, soldier. Enough talk, I haven't gotten to kiss you in too long.”

“You kissed me yesterday.”

“Like I said, too fucking long,” Vegeta growled and pulled Talon down. He started on Talon’s buttons. He asked, “You weren’t followed?”

“Not that I saw. I’m probably not as adept at spotting that sort of thing as you are. Today was the beginning of my break anyway in a bit of serendipity, so my requested leave won’t show up in the system until tomorrow, so it will be two days after yours, and I’ll go back the day after you, if you don't mind footing the bill for me to stay here an extra day, but I had more leave, so this way we could spend all of yours together.” Talon’s cheeks flushed.

Vegeta cupped Talon’s rosy cheek and kissed him. “Excellent work, soldier. You hungry?”

“For you.”

Vegeta ran his hands up and down Talon’s thighs where he straddled Vegeta and said, “You’re wearing too many clothes to dine at this table.”

Talon shrugged his shirt off with Vegeta’s tail helping, tossed it aside, and said, with his smile that made Vegeta tremble with affection and desire, “I can be fully dressed to _dine_ at this table,” and he scooted down Vegeta’s legs.

Vegeta’s loins actually ached seeing Talon’s smiling mouth move down his body. Vegeta curled up, undoing Talon’s fly and shoving his pants down, and growled, “I’m hungry too, soldier.” Talon kicked off his pants with more tail assistance and wide eyes. Vegeta lifted him into the air and spun him effortlessly.

“Oh!” Talon said with surprise as Vegeta immediately took Talon’s length in his mouth. “Vegeta, oh fuck, I missed you…and your mouth…gods…”

Vegeta moaned on Talon’s cock as the Namek’s heat engulfed his own. It terrified Vegeta to enjoy anything besides fighting this much. In the most secret corner of his heart and mind, he liked just _being_ with Talon more than fighting. More than anything. The realization made him pant. He got even harder and Talon groaned in response.

Vegeta moved his mouth slowly, despite his almost frantic desire to make Talon come. His hands cruised up and down Talon’s wiry thighs, over his perfect, palmable ass. Vegeta squeezed it, groaning more. Vegeta sucked hard, even as he moved at his leisurely pace, and Talon was barely able to keep his mouth on Vegeta due to all his cries and his rapid breathing.

“Vegeta…oh gods…oh gods, your mouth, Vegeta, you’re making me…ah—“ Talon came hard, his lower body curving down and thrusting into Vegeta’s mouth. He gripped Talon’s ass, his own hips searching for contact he was so turned on.

Talon wailed and writhed through his orgasm, then tried to recover and focus on Vegeta’s prick. He sucked lustily and Vegeta groaned, but kept lazily sucking Talon, who remained hard. Talon paused and gasped, “Vegeta, you don’t have to—“

Vegeta said, “I don’t _have_ to do a fucking thing, but gods, I want to…” and returned to it.

Talon did too, but it wasn't long before he was gasping and screaming against Vegeta’s thigh, gripping it like he would fall to his death without it. Vegeta grinned contentedly after Talon filled his mouth again.

When Talon tried a third time to suck him off, and he again took Talon in his mouth, Talon cried out, “Fuck, Vegeta, I can't finish you if you keep giving me such excellent head.”

“I told you I was hungry, but it turns out I’m starving.”

Talon tried to climb off Vegeta’s face, but Vegeta growled, “Unless you tell me that you don't want me to suck your dick, you better get back on me.”

“Vegeta, I want to bring you off.”

“Get to it, then, stop interrupting me.”

“I can’t concentrate.”

“Then don’t. You feel amazing, that’s all I care about. You don't need to concentrate.”

“Gods, you Saiyans are insatiable.”

“You'll know the true meaning of that word after our holiday.”

Vegeta showed some mercy though and laved Talon with less intention until Vegeta was close. As his climax rose and crested, he sucked Talon hard, swirling his tip until the Namek thrust into his mouth deeply, and groaned on Vegeta’s own spurting cock.

Once they had sucked each other dry, Vegeta lifted and rotated Talon again to hold him in his arms. Talon made a noise of delight, and nuzzled into Vegeta, who in turn made his own noise of delight. He wrapped Talon tightly in his arms and kissed the top of his head as they cuddled.

Talon kissed Vegeta’s neck, humming happily. Vegeta’s tail busily checked every inch of Talon’s body. Talon said, “Gods, Vegeta, you know how to make a man miss you. And make him glad you’re back. And dread the day you leave again.”

Vegeta sighed, stretching. “Mmm…I dread it too, which has been weird. I love fighting, so this is a bit, hmmm…novel, for me. It’s novel to like being with you more than fighting. Everything about you has been novel for me, soldier.” He ran his fingers along the necklace, the metal hot to the touch, like it amplified Talon’s heat. “No one bothered you?”

“No more than usual. Was wanting to fuck me more than you wanted to fight what changed your mind? Is that why you came back to me?”

“No, I came back because I’m a selfish prick. I’ve known since that first evening that I liked being with you more than fighting, fucking you too, of course. Don’t keep pretending I just like fucking you. You know that’s complete bullshit, Talon.”

“How is this you being a selfish? This is exactly what I want. Well, as close as can be managed in present circumstances. And you completely spoil me. This place, for example, I’ve never stayed anywhere remotely this nice. You could take me to one of those disgusting fuck-pads and I’d still go. To be with you. But you don’t. You’re not selfish, Vegeta.”

“I am. I want you so badly that I’m risking your safety, maybe your life.”

“Not against my will.”

“You might make better choices if you understood the risks as I do. Like I said, I’m a prick. But currently a very happy prick.”

Talon straddled him, kissed him deeply, and laced his fingers with Vegeta’s as he pushed Vegeta’s hands onto the bed next to his head. “I’m not a child, Vegeta. I know what I want. I know the risks.”

“You’re young, though. And so…sweet. Too sweet to know.”

“Vegeta, I’m twenty-three, two years younger than you. And, as I mentioned, being a pretty soldier has opened my eyes to the reality of most species’ baser natures. I don’t want you to think I’m here lightly, or that I wouldn’t be if I weren’t naïve. I’m not naïve. I’m here for you, Vegeta, and I’m terrified. You’re worth it. And not just because of your prick.”

“The tail, then, is it?” Vegeta said, with a smirk.

Talon laughed and said, “Mmm…you are a smart-ass, if not a prick. What are we going to do with a whole ten days, hmm?” Talon rubbed their hard-ons together and Vegeta saw he was already dripping. It made Vegeta so hot he wanted to fuck Talon until he begged for mercy.

“If you keep doing that, I can only think of one thing.”

Talon’s lopsided smile set Vegeta’s heart racing, as it always did. “Variations thereof, too, Captain?”

“Gods, yes, soldier. I think…I think I need to fuck you, Talon,” Vegeta said.

“I hope you do, because I need you inside me. I’ve been waiting almost two weeks for you to be inside me again, Vegeta, don’t make me wait any longer.” Talon kissed him and lifted his hips enough that Vegeta could lube himself and reposition.

Vegeta thrust inside Talon’s heat and groaned. He couldn’t imagine anything else for the next ten days. For a lifetime.

* * *

The morning of the third day, Vegeta awoke with Talon tight in his arms and remembered his gifts. He couldn’t wait to see to see Talon’s face. Talon was still asleep, or so Vegeta thought, but then his fine-boned hand started working up and down Vegeta’s shaft.

They’d spent the previous two days fucking indoors and out, as they explored the surrounding area. Vegeta wanted to do another faux bar date that night once Talon had opened his presents.

Vegeta kissed along his jaw, his neck, his chest. “Talon…” he murmured, still loving the feel of Talon’s name in his mouth, loving when Talon said his. Talon’s claws raked along Vegeta’s scalp, and he slowly sat up, lubing Vegeta’s dick. Vegeta’s tail, which was usually sluggish in the morning, surprised Vegeta by curling around Talon’s cock and pulsing up and down his length.

Talon cried out and chuckled. He scratched it lightly and said, “So saucy this morning, straight to business.”

“Mmm…I guess we shouldn’t’ve showered last night, it likes being covered in your cum.”

“Mmm…and I like being filled with yours. Every time we have sex, instead of feeling slaked, it just makes me want you more. I have no idea how I’ll manage when you’re out on missions.”

“I know,” Vegeta said as he slid inside Talon and gasped. “I didn’t think it could get any better, but it has. It keeps surpassing expectations. High marks, soldier, the highest.”

Talon threw his head back, he cried out as Vegeta rolled up into him. Talon rode Vegeta languidly, took his time, and after a long time, he turned his face back down to look into Vegeta’s eyes, giving Vegeta the smile he lived for. “These are training exercises, it makes sense we’d get better, Captain. Who knows what heights we might achieve if we keep at it,” Talon said and started to move faster, gasping and clawing Vegeta’s pecs. He breathed, “Oh, gods, Vegeta…oh, Vegeta…”

Vegeta pumped harder. He growled breathlessly, “Soldier, this is a rather unorthodox way to wake your superior officer…I…fuck…fuck, Talon…come for me, I’m so close…”

“Come inside me, Vegeta, set me off. Set me off, baby,” Talon gasped and Vegeta’s tail stroked him faster, “Don’t hold back, baby, please, come first, I want to feel it…”

Vegeta hated coming first, it made him feel weak and out of control, but he wanted to please Talon. He nodded and let himself go, crying out for Talon. Talon’s face broke into a huge smile, then his eyes slid closed as he spurted all over Vegeta. His eyes cracked open and he bent to kiss Vegeta.

Vegeta caressed his back and kissed him, letting their tongues twine together before he spoke, “Gods, Talon, you make it impossible to want to do anything but you.”

Talon whispered, “Thank you. For doing it. I know it embarrasses you, but it feels so good when you do it for me.”

“It’s alright with you. I’m okay with it with you.”

Talon said, “Do you want to do anything besides me today?”

Vegeta rose up on his elbows to kiss Talon’s chest, his jaw, his lips, and he said, “Mmm…I have something for you.”

Talon pushed back from Vegeta and said, wide-eyed, “Vegeta! I thought we agreed no more!”

Vegeta chuckled. “No, I did not agree to that. You said it. I did not agree.”

“Where am I—“

“I’ve taken care of that too. I have an arrangement with the woman at the boarding house. The room is ours. You can keep your things there. And you can go there whenever you like, when I’m out on missions even. Just make sure you’re not tailed. It would help our cover story if you go there when I’m out on missions.”

“But if I wear any of it out, what…what…if people…”

“Talon, people aren’t going to be shocked that you have a sugar-daddy. You’re gorgeous, intelligent, funny. Say he’s some rich lawyer or merchant or whatever, but say he demands discretion. Or a sugar-mama. Whatever you wish. Whatever you can be convincing about. I’ve seen your acting. You were born to do it.”

Talon looked down into Vegeta’s eyes. “It sucks that I can’t just tell people that _you’re_ my sugar-daddy.”

Vegeta smirked. “Am I your sugar-daddy?”

“If you keep buying me absurdly expensive gifts, you will be. You need to stop.”

“I wish I could take you shopping. That would make me happy. Although…hmm…hmm…I might have a thought. We’ll see.”

Talon kissed him again and got up. Vegeta yanked him back down with his tail, then stood up, holding Talon in the air with his tail, kissing him. Talon laughed and tickled Vegeta’s tail. “Hey, put me down, you sneaky thing! You got what you wanted!”

Vegeta’s arms took Talon away from his tail and kissed him. He carried him into the shower. He kissed and kissed Talon as they showered and Vegeta murmured, “Gods, I could spend ten days just kissing you, Talon. Have you bewitched all your lovers like this? I can’t even think straight when my mouth isn’t on yours. I crave it. I dream about it.”

Talon smiled against his mouth and said, “Hard to say, I don’t have quite the sample size you do, Vegeta.”

Vegeta hiked Talon’s thighs onto his hips and kissed him as he looked into Talon’s eyes. He said softly, “Have you had other lovers?”

Talon’s expression was unreadable. He said, “A few.”

Vegeta searched his eyes, kissed him, and whispered, “Well, I’m glad they were foolish enough to let you go.”

“Maybe I let them go so I could chase your tail.”

Vegeta chortled and said, rolling his hips to frot more with Talon, “That idea delights me more than you know.” Talon flushed prettily and Vegeta stopped kissing and gaped. Vegeta stammered, “Are…did…did you?”

Talon’s blush deepened and he said, tipping Vegeta’s mouth to his, “I did,” and he kissed Vegeta. “I saw you, when you came back from the Srezvin mission. You and Radditz were bantering. I saw your smile, heard you laugh…and I…I was a bit smitten, but then when I asked around a little…I heard good things. So I unencumbered myself to make my move.”

Vegeta’s mouth hung open. He said, “Oh…I…”

Talon’s lopsided smile spread across his face. He lowered his eyelids, blushing shyly. “I really did just want to get laid.”

Vegeta finally regained himself and kissed Talon. He whispered, “Well, you certainly got laid. And then some.”

Talon caressed his face. “I’m a little embarrassed. I wanted…the guy…well, all of them were…not great. Nice enough. But not great, you know? So…I thought…since I’d heard you were always on the prowl. And everyone said you were the best they’d ever had, so…Then by dumb luck I wound up in that meeting with you, so I flirted like crazy. It was so much fun, I was a little surprised. And then you got me put on your mission, so I figured you wanted me, too.”

“I didn’t get you put on my mission. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed our first flirtation, and thought about it constantly. But I don’t pull strings. Ever. So when you were assigned to my mission…it felt so…so…so fucking lucky. The best luck,” Vegeta murmured, kissed Talon.

Talon looked astonished and stammered, “Are you serious? That was luck? I got that lucky _twice_?”

Vegeta nodded. “The best luck ever for me. Sorry my predecessor was not great. Did he hurt you?”

“No…just…it was…boring. I’d never even…” Talon stopped and nearly turned purple he blushed so deeply.

“Talon? Was I your first?” Vegeta whispered. “Fuck, Talon, you should have said something. I thought you felt…new…but…I’m sorry,” Vegeta kissed him tenderly.

Talon’s laugh sounded more embarrassed than amused. “I mean…I thought…I thought that was going to be it. I’m so ashamed. I’m so old, so I didn’t want to say anything. I’ve been with a decent number of guys, I’ve just never, you know…so my ass wasn’t really virgin, but…shit, I’m so embarrassed.” Talon turned his face away.

Vegeta held it, turned it back to him, and kissed him, looking into his eyes. “It’s not embarrassing. Saiyans mature very young and sex helped me survive a lot of terrible years. Frieza’s had me since I was seven. I…I just…I just wish I’d made it, you know…meaningful. Especially since you’d chosen me like that. Don’t be embarrassed. Thank you. For giving yourself to me.”

Talon’s eyes burned into Vegeta’s and narrowed as he said, “It was. It was wonderful. You spent hours prepping me. You never pushed me. I wanted it exactly when you gave it to me. I’d do it again, even if that had been it. No, I’m more embarrassed because, because…I’d never…Even though other guys had, you know, played in my ass: fingers, toys, tongues…I’d never…I’d never come, you know, like that, except, except by myself. I…when you did it in the shower the first time, and again and again, I didn’t know it could be like that. I thought it was something only I could manage myself. I thought I was, I don’t know, defective.”

“Fuck, Talon, I’m sorry. No wonder you hadn’t had sex if they all let you down like that. I love making you come like that. Have you ever…ever fucked someone?”

“No, I’m not…I’m not a top. I’m…it’s just not my thing. Have you ever been a bottom?”

“No…I…I’ve never trusted someone enough,” Vegeta said, more quietly, “If…if you wanted that, I trust you.”

Talon kissed him and said, reluctantly, “I…Is…is it okay if I don’t?”

“Of course. I just, if you wanted it, I would,” Vegeta said, a little sad, but not surprised.

Talon’s lopsided smile returned and he said, “That means a lot, Vegeta, but you fuck me so good, I can’t imagine anything else.”

Vegeta reached between Talon’s legs, pulsed his fingers on Talon’s pucker, and said, “Can I fuck you like I should have?”

“No. You can fuck me how I need it now. You’ve made a man out of me, Vegeta,” Talon said, grinning, “I don’t want to be fucked like a virgin, I want to be fucked like I’m yours. Fuck the man you made me into.”

Vegeta thrust into Talon, finding his pleasure. “You are mine, Talon.”

“Fuck me, Vegeta, fuck me, baby. Holy fuck, you feel so good. I need you to make me come, don’t touch my dick though. Make me come inside, please, please, Vegeta…”

Vegeta pushed deeply inside Talon and carried him to the bed so he could take his time. He withdrew except his tip and pulsed in Talon until he was on the edge of his own climax, then slid slowly back into Talon as deep as he could. Talon pleaded for him to come first and he did, curling over Talon and crying out his name until Talon came in a hot spurt on his chest, gripping Vegeta’s ass so tightly that he left grooves in his ass, blood streaming out of them as Vegeta continued to come deep inside Talon. Talon breathed his name on every breath and his semen streamed out of him.

As his muscles relaxed, Vegeta bent and crushed Talon’s mouth with his own, stifling his love again, though he no longer knew why, except absurd fear. He thought Talon loved him too, but Vegeta held back the words, if not the emotion, as he clung to Talon, kissing and touching him, his tail everywhere on Talon, not touching but marking, covering him in Vegeta’s scent, which only added to Vegeta’s ardor.

Talon continued to gasp Vegeta’s name. He eventually gasped, “Gods, Vegeta, I wouldn’t change a thing. I have no regrets.”

Vegeta breathed, “My only regret is that I didn’t accept how I felt about you sooner.”

Talon snuffled his tail as it rubbed around on his shoulder. He said, “What is it doing? I…can…can you actually mark me? Are you marking me?” He chuckled and pulled back to look in Vegeta’s eyes. Vegeta felt like he’d been caught doing something obscene. His eyes widened, then his brow furrowed, and he looked away. Talon turned his face back and kissed him. “I don’t mind, baby, I think it’s sweet. But I didn’t know it could do that. Although it does explain why people were so nervous around me whenever I came back on base after being with you. I always put off showering because I could smell you and I loved it. But people skittered away from me like I had the plague.”

“It does it on its own. I…don’t mind…but I’m not in control. It is ridiculously insubordinate to my will.”

“You know that’s the whole thing about feelings, right?” Talon said, chuckling.

“Tch. No. I’m not like that,” Vegeta grumbled.

Talon blew a long breath out his nose with a lopsided smile. “Yes. You are,” Talon leaned up and kissed Vegeta with his eyes open and whispered against his lips, “Not saying a thing doesn’t mean you don’t _feel_ a thing, Vegeta.”

Vegeta snorted, but smirked and said, “Enough talk. Let me get you a towel and your gifts.”

“Plural? Vegeta!”

“Oh, quiet! I’m not going to stop, and your fussing only makes me want to get more.” He bent back down for another kiss and murmured, “Words are not the only way to express things, Talon.”

“I know, Vegeta. That’s how I know your heart,” Talon said, his eyes searching Vegeta’s, seeing something inside him that Vegeta hadn’t even known was there until he met Talon.

Vegeta kissed him more passionately, crawling back above him. He growled, “You think you know my heart, Talon?”

“I do. Do you know mine?” Talon whispered.

“Gods, I wish I did,” Vegeta murmured.

“I think you do, Vegeta,” Talon said, and shoved Vegeta onto his back. He slicked lube onto Vegeta’s cock and climbed onto him, lowering himself with a groan. Vegeta sat up and ran his hands over Talon’s back and ass, caressed his face, his neck, held his jaw. Talon rode him, surging down on him with delicious, teasing slowness, rising back up like a wave, and crashing back down on Vegeta’s shores. Vegeta gasped as his tail held them tightly together.

Talon held Vegeta’s face and kissed him as he whispered against his lips, “You know my heart, Vegeta, don’t you?” Tears burned in Vegeta’s sinuses as he met Talon’s eyes. Talon ran his thumbs along Vegeta’s cheekbones, his jaw, and he said again, “Vegeta?”

Vegeta whispered, “No…”

Talon kissed him so deeply, Vegeta thought he could die happy in that moment. Talon pulled back, rocking more. Talon held Vegeta’s face, his eyes seeing inside Vegeta, as he came. Talon breathed, “Vegeta, I love you, I fucking love you, I love you so much.”

Vegeta’s climax rose in an enormous inexorable wave to meet Talon’s, and he kissed Talon and gasped, “I love you, too, Talon. Gods, I love you.” Vegeta felt panic and terror and love and bliss swamp him as he finally said the words. They came together and clutched one another, and Vegeta breathed deeply to stay his overwhelmed tears.

They held each other’s eyes as they rode out the aftershocks. Talon kissed him and gave Vegeta his perfect, lopsided smile, and it relieved all of Vegeta’s fears and doubts. Talon said, “I know, but thank you for telling me. Thank you for saying it with words.” Talon chuckled and said, “It’s important for captains to practice clear communication with their soldiers.”

Vegeta laughed and held Talon’s face as he kissed him more. “Soldier, that mouth of yours…”

Talon grinned and pressed his forehead to Vegeta’s, closed his eyes, and sighed. “Gods, Vegeta, I do. I love you. I don’t know how I can love anyone so fast, but you’re like air: I can’t breathe without you.”

Vegeta said, “I know the feeling,” his tail marking Talon exuberantly, “Mmm…thank you for taking this risk. For being with me. You’re wonderful.” Vegeta swallowed hard and decided to try it outside the throes of passion. “I love you, Talon.” It felt like the spikes in his chest dissolved, like his heart could gallop around free in his chest.

They finally got out of bed. They wrapped themselves in robes, though Vegeta’s tail kept sneaking underneath Talon’s, coiling around his leg, holding him close while they walked into the kitchen. They ate and Talon told him about the Shakespeare plays he’d read in their time apart. He’d brought it with him, so they could read together. Talon wanted to sit outside, so Vegeta sent him out with their tea and said he’d be along. Talon kissed him and looked him over. “Are you okay, Captain? I didn’t break you with feelings, did I?”

“No! Soldier, that mouth—I swear. No. I. You’ll see. If I don’t have to punish that mouth of yours first.”

Talon’s eyes widened and he gave Vegeta a little fanged smirk. “Oh, yes, the excessive gifts!”

“It’s not excessive! Actually, fuck that, I don’t care if it is.” He slapped Talon’s ass and sent him on to the patio.

Vegeta brought them out and waited anxiously for Talon to open them. Talon eyeballed him and reclined on a chaise. He looked at Vegeta, the boxes beside him, and he stretched, resting his arms above his head. “What if I won’t open them?”

“Oh, don’t be a shit, haven’t you loved everything I’ve gotten you?”

“Mmm…It’s true. I have,” Talon purred, but his eyes glittered with mischief.

“Please?” Vegeta said, realizing that Talon knew he had the upper hand.

“Maybe. Maybe you’ll have to convince me with kisses.”

Vegeta straddled him on the chaise and bent to kiss him as he murmured, “There is nothing I wouldn’t try to convince you to do with kisses.”

After Vegeta kissed him and kissed him so much that Talon was panting, Vegeta shoved a box into his hands. Talon broke into raucous laughter. He tore the paper off and said, “I believed the things I heard about you—they fit my impression of you—too proud to be shitty in bed, but too arrogant to stay with anyone—but then…then you kissed me that first time and my whole model shattered. No one has ever kissed me like you do, Vegeta. And gods, I love kissing you.”

Vegeta turned another chaise to face Talon’s and relaxed, watching. He said, “I’ve never been kissed like you kissed me either. It was one of many surprises, though you shocked me from the moment we met, so I had no idea what to expect. I’ve never had fun with anyone like I do with you. But that first kiss was…revelatory.”

Talon opened the first box. Vegeta didn’t know what to call the shade of purple that the suit was—it was shot silk, an almost periwinkle blue on the warp, a lavender-ish purple on the weft, but it made for a luxurious, though not dark, violet. The silk and the shot weave made it iridescent. Talon gasped and put his hand over his mouth. Vegeta was elated. He thought this one would appeal especially to Talon, who seemed to have a fondness for unusual colors. Talon ran his hands over the fabric, held it up, watched it morph in the light.

Vegeta said, “I think the first shirt I gave you might look decent with this one.”

Talon nodded, still speechless. He carefully put it back in the box. Before he could stand, Vegeta was above him, kissing him furiously, letting his hands roam more. Talon tried to go for his cock, but Vegeta caught his hand, “Now, now, I didn’t agree to any convincing with dick. You open your presents like a good boyfriend, and we’ll see if you’ve earned any dick.”

Talon laughed, throwing his head back so Vegeta could suck his way down Talon’s neck, and said, “I love the suit, Vegeta. It’s gorgeous.”

“You’re gorgeous,” Vegeta said, giving Talon a final kiss, and handing him the next box.

Talon accepted it, but held Vegeta’s jaw with his other hand and voiced Vegeta’s own thoughts, “Gods, Vegeta, I could just kiss you for ten days. I’m glad I get to fuck you, but that’s how much I love kissing you.”

“Likewise,” Vegeta murmured, running his hands over Talon’s flanks.

Talon opened the next gift and grinned. “Honestly, where are you getting these shirts, Vegeta? I love crazy shirts, and these are like art. Beautiful, flamboyant art.”

“I can’t tell you, then you’d just leave me for the shopkeeper.”

Talon chortled and held up the shirt, pale mint green with peacocks in shades of blue and purple to match the suit, a few feathers with fine metallic detailing so the feathers took on an iridescent look. Vegeta, undone by Talon’s joy, said, “Gods, I can’t even wait until our next break so I can give you more.”

Talon started to protest, but threw his hands in the air and said, “If you go bankrupt from playing dress-up with me, don’t be mad!”

Vegeta howled with laughter. He pulled Talon to him and kissed him. “Talon, I don’t want to trivialize these gifts, because they help me express my…my…”

“Love,” Talon interrupted with a smirk.

“Yes. My love. But I could buy the shop and the factories where all the clothes came from, and the farms where the silk and hemp and cotton and bamboo and flax are grown, and I would still be wealthy. When I say, ‘Don’t worry about it,’ I mean it. Aside from Frieza, I’m probably the wealthiest man in the universe.”

Talon stammered, “You’re…you’re…not…is that true?”

Vegeta chuckled. “Yes. I had wealth before Frieza took me, and he let me keep it, for whatever reason. And he pays me well enough. I get whatever pillage I want from planets I depopulate. Some planets he cuts me in on the sales. I don’t know why except he values wealth and power, so I think he thinks it will placate me. But I’m a simple man. I’ve hardly spent two flecks of it, so if you need something, tell me. I love spending it on you. It makes me happy.”

Talon blushed. “Does it really?”

“Yes, very, so stop harassing me and let me spoil you. Let me love you in my way. Please?”

“Okay. But only if you enjoy it. I don’t need anything, as long as I have you.”

Vegeta’s cheeks heated and he gave Talon the three Earth books he’d procured: _Wuthering Heights, Beloved,_ and _The Remains of the Day_. He said, “As I understand it, some knowledge of local culture and history of the western hemisphere of Earth increases one’s understanding of these stories. They’re authored by a species that call themselves ‘humans,’ that are apparently very similar to Saiyans in appearance, but they have no tails and are weaklings. I have a few human history books coming as well, but they are harder to procure. I think the bookseller might have a bit of a crush on me.”

Talon kissed him soundly and said, “Well, I feel confident I could kick his ass if necessary.”

Vegeta brought out his final surprise. Talon had two wide, tightly fitted hoops of drab gray metal high on the outside edge of his pointed ears. Vegeta had found a jeweler who worked with the blue metal—called ice-steel in honor of Frieza—and had her craft replacements in the elegant, expensive metal. 

He knew Talon would protest, so he sat on the ground next to the chaise and slid his hand between Talon’s legs. He’d forgotten lube inside, but when he touched Talon’s bud, it was slick. Talon groaned, but seeing Vegeta’s surprise, said, “I guess you’ve never been with me on the third day after our marathon sex sessions. It’s cum and lube. I’m super wet.”

“Fuck, Talon, I—are you okay? I hadn’t considered…I’ve never come inside someone so much. Ever. Are you okay? Not raw?”

“No, not even a little. You buy good lube, thank gods.”

“I…is it weird that I’m really turned on to be able to use my own cum as lube to finger your ass?”

Talon grinned. “Vegeta, you could use your cum to fuck my ass. It’ll come out at some point,” Talon said, laughing, and blushed, “So if you want to, you better get on it.”

Vegeta kissed his belly, slid his finger into the cum-slick heat of his love and trembled. “Fuck, Talon, I’m going to make myself come before I’ve even warmed you up.”

Talon’s lopsided smile made pre-cum pour out of Vegeta’s prick and Talon said, “Oh? Does this help?” Talon relaxed completely, then his opening gripped Vegeta’s finger hard. He did it again and again, and Vegeta drove his finger deeper, added a second in time with Talon’s hungry squeezing.

Vegeta rose up on his knees and curled over Talon to kiss him as he found Talon’s sweet spot, working it as he kissed Talon’s mouth and neck and chest. “Come for me, _minaiya_ , come on my hand, then I am going to fuck you so sweet and deep and slow. Please,” Vegeta gasped against Talon’s lips, and he took Talon’s dick in his other hand. He twisted his hand until Talon obeyed, crying out and bucking against Vegeta’s hand.

Vegeta couldn’t believe the slick heat as Talon’s orgasm pushed Vegeta’s cum out of him. Vegeta groaned, running his fingers through Talon’s cum and smearing it on his own cock. Talon gasped and said, “Holy shit, that is hot. Fuck me, baby, fuck me…”

Vegeta climbed between Talon’s legs, Talon pulling them alongside his chest and holding them behind his knees. Vegeta growled deep in his throat, “Oh, fuck, I can see it. My cum is pouring out of you, Talon. You’ve brought me so much pleasure. I’m not going to last long. Are you turned on or should I use my hand more? I want to come first, then watch you come, see if more spills out of you.” Vegeta’s hard-on throbbed imagining it.

“Vegeta, you’re going to make me come just talking about it, so fuck me already. Fuck me, fuck me deep, baby. As deep as you can.”

Vegeta’s mouth went slack as he drove into the wet heat he’d created inside Talon. He had the aching, overwhelming desire to mate with Talon, but he would never do such a thing as long as he was a slave. As long as Talon was a slave. Talon’s freedom was possible for a price, but nothing besides brute force and cunning would free Vegeta.

He groaned, pulsing so deep in Talon that his balls were coated in the cum that spilled out of Talon, “Talon, _minaiya…_ ” Vegeta whispered to Talon in Saiyan, to his beloved, his _minaiya_. He never spoke Saiyan anymore, even Nappa and Radditz had stopped doing it once they realized how angry it made Vegeta. But the truth was that it broke his heart. Made him miss his family. His people. His throne.

Talon wrapped his arms and legs around Vegeta and clung to him. Gasped Vegeta’s name as Vegeta professed his love, his hopes, his lust in Saiyan. Talon grinned, kissed him passionately, and spoke to Vegeta in Namekian. Vegeta grinned back and they kissed more until all either could do was pant as Vegeta plunged into Talon, his hips rolling so hard that the chaise scooted across the patio until it lodged against the house.

Vegeta smirked as he kissed Talon breathily and whispered, “Are you ready? If I come? Otherwise we might break the house.”

Talon giggled and said, “Come inside me, baby. Come for me.”

“You’ll come after? You’ll be okay?”

“Gods, yes, you can stroke me if you’re worried.”

Vegeta’s whole body seized and he felt his cum pour into Talon. Talon cried, “Fuck, Vegeta, I feel you, I feel you coming, gods, I’m…ah! Ah! Yes, there, Vegeta!”

Vegeta growled, “Come, _minaiya_ ,” and pulled out.

Talon wailed, “Holy fuck, Vegeta,” as his own jet of semen flew up his belly. Talon’s ass clenched and Vegeta got off a second time seeing his accumulated seed squeeze and gush out of Talon. Vegeta had filled his love to the brim. Vegeta gasped and caressed Talon’s thighs, praising him as he watched. Talon came, spasming and pulsing for a long time. 

Talon laughed as he recovered and said, “Did I destroy the chair with my mess? We’re going to run out of towels at the rate we’re going.”

Vegeta finally tore his eyes away from Talon’s opening and growled, “Mmm…a good problem to have. Fuck, that was so hot, Talon. So hot. I could come just thinking about it.”

Talon smirked and eased his legs back down, but Vegeta pushed them back up. He slipped his fingers inside Talon.

“Vegeta, gods, I can’t—“

“Please, _minaiya_ , for me? I can’t get enough of you. One more for me? Then I’ll help you clean up. Please, Talon, _minaiya_?”

“Fuck…oh fuck…only you, baby. Only you could achieve this orgasm, Vegeta, only you. And you’ll have to work hard. I’m exhausted. Spent. Do you want that? Do you want to have to work for it?”

“Can I? Can I do it without your dick? Is that okay? Not too worn out?”

“I’d do anything for you, Vegeta, let you do anything to me,” Talon gasped.

Vegeta bent and kissed Talon as he milked his prostate, kissed him until Talon was so hard he was almost weeping, but he begged Vegeta not to touch his cock. Vegeta got harder the longer he pushed into Talon and he groaned, “Can I touch my own?”

“Only if you come on me, on my dick, okay? I’m so close. Push me hard, Vegeta. Come on me and I’ll come, baby.”

Vegeta moved so he straddled Talon’s thigh and gripped himself, staring into Talon’s eyes and he groaned, “I’m coming for you, _minaiya_ , for you…” and his hips bucked forward hard as he erupted on Talon.

Talon screamed, his ab muscles trembling, his whole body shaking as he came. The amount of cum was shocking given how much he had gotten off already that morning. Vegeta’s fingers were held fast by the forceful, muscular grip of talon’s release and Vegeta saw more of his seed leak out of his love. He quivered with his own renewed climax and gasped.

His tail was tight around Talon’s thigh and Vegeta collapsed, careful not to crush Talon, and kissed his mouth hard. Talon kissed back, whimpering with exhaustion. Vegeta murmured, “I love you, _minaiya_.”

Talon’s chest heaved as he breathed, “What…what does it mean?”

Vegeta thought for a moment and said, “It’s hard to translate exactly, but I think ‘beloved’ is the essence of it. Maybe ‘my heart.’ It’s literal translation is maybe more, ‘belonging to my tail, the source of my self,’ or ‘my joy, my pride.’ Like I said, hard to translate.”

“Saiyans have words for love?”

“Saiyans love as fiercely as they fight.”

“You certainly fuck as fiercely as you fight. You have conquered the hell out of this Namek.”

Vegeta chuckled and kissed him more. “I’m not sure that’s the direction the conquering went, _minaiya_.”

“Am I? Your heart?” Talon said, looking into Vegeta’s eyes and caressing his jaw and neck.

“And more. My lungs. The air. My life.”

Talon flushed, smiled his perfect smile. “Who would ever know that the terror of the universe is such a romantic?”

“Nobody but you.” Vegeta kissed him again before he got up to get a towel and washcloth. He returned and cleaned Talon off and found yet another thing that turned him on. He liked the intimacy of cleaning Talon, the trust, the submissiveness of both roles. Talon breathed fast throughout, but said nothing, and Vegeta thought Talon was nervous, but also turned on. Vegeta kissed him tenderly, threw their linens aside, and kissed him more.

As he kissed Talon, he caught Talon’s hand as he slid it off Vegeta’s hip to grab his dick. Talon needed a break, whether he wanted it or not. Though their previous encounter had turned Vegeta on, it also reminded him that he couldn’t let Talon get hurt or sore or uncomfortable because of his lust, his cum. He would have to find other ways to bring Talon pleasure until he’d recovered.

Talon pulled away and met Vegeta’s eyes, obviously confused, and Vegeta could see that he was definitely nervous. Even if Talon was only two years younger than him, Vegeta had been through a lot in his years. He was an old soul. Not easily fazed by the facts of life. Vegeta decided it was worth being explicit if they were going to spend longer breaks together. Shorter ones too. Vegeta said, “Talon, have you gone to the bathroom since we got here? You need a break. Your body needs a break. Our pacing has to be different if we’re together more than a day or two.”

Talon blushed furiously and his eyes widened.

Vegeta continued, “I know you shit, Talon. I do too. I’m not grossed out, and you shouldn’t be. But if you have two days worth of giz in you, that needs resolution and I don’t imagine you’ve ever paced your way through ten days of fucking, being as I was your first.”

Talon croaked, his eyebrows coming together in a little peak, “Have you?”

“No. I maxed out at three. One time. My max is normally one sleepless night. And even that usually requires resolution. I’ve never wanted any of my bottoms, but especially you, to become ill because I fucked them so relentlessly.”

“Fuck, Vegeta, you’re embarrassing me,” Talon said, blushing more deeply.

“Talon, remember how I’ve kissed you on the toilet? I’m not squeamish about any of it. I’ve lived in barracks my entire life. I just want you to be healthy.”

Talon kissed him with a little grin. “Still surprising me, Captain. Look at you caring about your bottoms again.”

“One particular bottom, soldier. And as your superior officer, I order you to shit before I’ll fuck you again.”

Talon pouted. “I can’t force it, Vegeta.”

“I know. I’m a patient man.”

“You are not,” Talon said, laughing.

“I am when it’s important,” he said, shrugged and kissed Talon. “We can always find other things to do until the urge strikes.”

“Gods, Vegeta—“

“Shush. In the meantime, here.”

“What? No! Not another one!” Talon said, his eyes widening as Vegeta folded the small box into his hands. “Vegeta, I’m lucky nobody’s commented on my clothes. Or the necklace. Or maybe lucky that your tail marked the hell out of me every time I’ve worn the clothes. Though I can’t imagine most species can smell it. It’s very subtle.”

“Mmm…no. Not consciously, but there’s some zesty ‘stay-the-fuck-away-from-me-unless-you-want-to-get-murdered’ pheromones in there that would make anybody who isn’t a hyper-alpha turn away in terror. I should mix my scent in your soap, keep you safe all the time.”

“The last thing I need in the showers is a hyper-alpha.”

“There’s one hyper-alpha that I wish could be in the showers with you. What block are you in, anyway?”

“Eighty-seven. You?”

“Fuck. So close. Eighty-four.”

“Hmm…I wonder if a lodging transfer could be hacked. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Oh, fuck, Talon, I can’t shower with you on base. Even seeing you in the mess makes me half-hard when I’m fighting it with my entire being.”

“We could sneak though. Like at night. And then you could slip into my bed sometimes, right?”

“Talon…I think it’s too risky.”

“I know. I’m not sure I can manage anyway. But maybe there are beds open on your block. I won’t do anything without consulting you.”

“Fuck. It would be so hard not to sleep with you every night.”

“I know, but those beds are so shitty, it’d probably get old really fast.”

Vegeta pressed his forehead to Talon’s and said, “I’m not sure it would. I’d sleep on broken glass to have you in my arms. Now stop stalling. You’re depriving me of my joy.”

“I thought _I_ was your joy?”

“That you are. Which is why I love spoiling you.” Talon blushed and Vegeta helplessly caressed his face and breathed, “Gods, _minaiya_ , you’re so beautiful.”

Talon’s lopsided smile made Vegeta’s heart feel near to exploding. “Captain, you’re making me feel all squishy inside,” he paused and kissed Vegeta lightly. “Mmm…I love you.” But he finally opened the box. His hand flew to his mouth and his eyes glassed over. Talon said, through his fingers, “Where? Where did you find these?”

“I had them made.”

“Oh, Vegeta, they’re so beautiful. I…I…part of the reason I left Namek was the strictures about…about what we could do with our bodies. Dress. Sex. That sort of thing. I…I did this at the first stop I came to when I left. It was like severing my umbilical cord, but all I could afford were complete garbage…and…and I’ve tried to find new ones, but apparently these long piercings are much less common in this sector. So I never have. Not even silver. Let alone this. They’re perfect.”

Vegeta kissed him, his heart full and aching pleasantly, and helped Talon change them out. Talon told him to throw the old nickel ones away, but Vegeta hid them in his things. Talon made Vegeta feel sentimental.

They spent the rest of the day hiking around the surrounding area, playing in the river, and as night came on, Vegeta built a fire in the outdoor fire pit and they cuddled together and read _Wuthering Heights_ to each other. Vegeta stalwartly refused to have sex until Talon had cleared the pipes and Vegeta liked the pleasant ache of anticipation. He liked spending time with Talon kissing and making out. Reading and talking and playing. Nothing in his life had ever been so laid back. Like he could finally breathe.

They ate dinner by the fire and read more. Talon went inside for more wine. Vegeta had started to doze when Talon returned. He straddled Vegeta. Vegeta’s hands and tail moved languidly over his thighs. Vegeta said, “I’ve never loved thighs so much as I love yours. How’s the wine?”

Talon grinned and took a long pull of wine. He said, “The wine is lovely, but more importantly, Captain, I have finally obeyed your order, so I demand a return to normal training.”

Vegeta smirked back and held Talon’s face. “You finally took a shit? I’m so proud, soldier. Is that your first shit in my presence? Because I’d prefer if I didn’t have to command your bodily functions.”

Talon laughed and put Vegeta’s hand on his hard-on. He said, “You like commanding some of my bodily functions, Captain.”

Vegeta stroked Talon’s cock vigorously even as he protested and asked Vegeta to fuck him. Even in their leisurely making out, Vegeta hadn’t given Talon a good, fierce hand-job, and he wanted to now. He gave Talon a licentious grin and let his tail go crazy while he jerked Talon off, making his petite, Namek lover scream up at the stars as he splattered Vegeta’s chest.

“Vegeta!” Talon gasped, “I…I…” Vegeta slid his hand up and down more.

“Hush, soldier, you said I’m commanding. So I command you to come on me again.”

“Vegeta, I can’t,” Vegeta reached for Talon’s taint, but when he touched it, Talon looked scared, not even just nervous, so Vegeta pulled his hand away. He would ask Talon about it when he wasn’t mid-hand-job.

Vegeta sat up to kiss Talon and said breathily, “I demand you come on me, _minaiya_. I’ll never have enough of you spraying your seed on my body, in my mouth, on my face, on my cock. Gods, _minaiya_ , I fucking love making you come.”

“Vegeta…” Talon groaned and his ab muscles flexed and he arched hard into Vegeta’s hand, “Oh fuck, you…you’re actually…oh gods, ah! Ah! Ah!” Talon’s eyes scrunched shut and he wailed, almost a piteous sound. Vegeta’s own hard-on was rubbing pleasantly in the light gripping of Talon’s ass cheeks as he flexed his glutes while he came. He grabbed the nearest, slightly crusty towel to wipe Vegeta off so he could flop onto his chest. He gasped out, “Vegeta! That wasn’t fair! I wanted to have sex.”

“Mmm…me too. But that was so fun. We have plenty of time, I don’t need to ram into you the minute your poor ass lets its guard down. Give it a bit to celebrate performing its primary function.”

“These days, shitting is _not_ its primary function,” Talon chortled out.

“Well, its original function,” Vegeta said and kissed Talon’s forehead.

“Fine. I’m tired though. Do you really want to go to bed without fucking me?” Talon asked, pouting a little.

“I’m pretty proud of those hand-jobs, Talon. And I’m tired too.”

Talon glowered. “No, I mean—“

“Talon, I feel perfect. Let’s go to bed.”

“No! You might be the Captain, but you are not in charge!” Talon turned around and took Vegeta’s dick in his hands. “Two can play the hand-job game, Vegeta!”

“Not if we sit this way.”

“I want to get you off! You know I like making you come, too, right?” Talon said, sounding angrier than Vegeta wanted him to be.

“Yes—“

“Then shut up and touch my ass if you want—I know you like touching it!”

Vegeta did like touching Talon’s perfect ass. It was the perfect size for him to grip and squeeze. It was perfectly firm and the skin perfectly smooth. Vegeta palmed it and his tail, finding new depths to its depravity dipped into Talon’s crack. It slid up and down. Talon turned around and gasped, “No fair! No fair! You’re—“ but Vegeta’s saucy tail interrupted him, as it came out between Talon’s legs in front and coiled around his cock, the tip lightly playing back and forth over his tip, getting wet with pre-cum. “Vegeta, holy fucking gods, you—you—you—“

“Mmm…what? What, _minaiya_?” Vegeta whispered, feigning a calm voice when he felt anything but. He curled up to kiss the back of Talon’s neck and ran his tongue along the ridge of Talon’s ear, tasting the sweet, metallic bite of his new earring. “Gods, Talon, you’re working me just right…and touching your perfect ass is just what I need to push me over the edge. Do you want me to come for you, _minaiya_? Hmm? Do you want to see if I have anything left after you’ve made me come so hard so many times?”

“Fuck, Vegeta, if you keep—ah! If you! Ah! Ah!”

“I’m only touching your ass, _minaiya_ , that’s all. Not even your sweet bud. Just these delectable cheeks.”

Talon writhed, gasping, and bucked into Vegeta’s tail. Vegeta gripped his ass and his own climax rose as Talon screamed his name, squeezing Vegeta’s cock in the throes of ecstasy. “Vegeta! Ah! Fuck! Vegeta!”

Vegeta thrust hard into Talon’s hand, sucked on his neck, and reluctantly took one hand off Talon’s perfect ass to turn Talon’s face to kiss Vegeta. He held Talon’s jaw as he kissed him over his shoulder. Talon trembled against Vegeta and when Vegeta let him pull away, he gasped and fell back against Vegeta, even though Vegeta’s tail continued to be very naughty.

“Oh, gods, Vegeta, I…your tail. Tell it I can’t go again. I’ll shrivel up and die. You have milked every last drop out of me. I need to sleep.” Talon was hard as a rock in Vegeta’s cum-coated tail’s grip. Vegeta’s tail was typically very in tune with Talon’s needs.

Vegeta said softly, “Are you just trying to keep track of orgasms? Are you being weird because I’m making you come more than I’ve come? Because your dick isn’t ready for bed.”

“Vegeta…I…I…”

“Want to come again but are too tired to get me off? I don’t care about getting off, Talon. I want to finish you so you can sleep like you’re at peace. So let me. Kiss me, if you want to do anything for me. Or just lay back and let me love you until you can rest. Yes?”

“Vegeta…” Talon gasped, clutching at Vegeta over his shoulder. And as they kissed passionately, Vegeta’s tail brought Talon off again and Vegeta’s _minaiya_ fell asleep against him almost instantly with the heady rush of orgasm and the soporific effect of half a bottle of wine.

Vegeta stood to carry Talon inside, but the night was warm, the fire was still roaring, and Vegeta liked sleeping outdoors. He laid Talon down with a kiss, but his _minaiya_ was deep in dreams already. Vegeta brought pillows and blankets and shifted Talon. Vegeta watched the second moon rise, wishing Cooler didn’t have so many moons that he could never see the stars. The lack of stars made Vegeta’s chest ache for his home again. Until he remembered his arranged marriage to an unpleasant Saiyan girl from a good family. She was several years his senior and had told him on their first meeting that she found sex repugnant, tweaked his child’s penis, and said that she’d only do it until they had an heir. 

Vegeta breathed Talon’s sweet scent mingled with their cum and Vegeta’s aggressive tail-marking, and he thought maybe all the horror over the years, all the humiliation, had been worth it to come to this point. To be here, under these moons, with his slightly drunk, petite, Namek _minaiya_ in his arms, sated by Vegeta, having sated him in turn. Having brought Vegeta more joy than he’d ever dared to dream.


	5. Love in the Cracks of a Shitty Life

Vegeta panicked when he awoke alone in their bed in the cottage, but he remembered the night under the moons had been days earlier. Once again time had slipped through his grasp like slippery entrails—no putting it back where you wanted it. Talon was still with him. He wasn’t alone. His _minaiya_ had just flopped off to the side and was now on his belly, one leg and one arm drawn together, making him look like he was blocking a blow. Vegeta trailed his hand over smooth and corduroy skin so hot it made Vegeta sweat to think about lying under it. And get hard too. And cry, imagining sleeping without it. Vegeta’s sudden aggressive tears shocked him. But there was no stopping them, so he slipped out of bed silently and crept onto the patio. 

This was their penultimate day, then Vegeta, horrifically, had a seventeen day mission. He sat by the embers of the fire from the previous night, when they had stayed up very late, and Vegeta had even had a couple drinks with Talon. He held his mouth as he wept.

Talon’s hands slid over his shoulders from behind and onto his chest as he bent to kiss Vegeta’s neck and jaw. “Don’t cry, baby, not yet,” Talon whispered against his skin, “We’ll be okay. But gods I’ll miss you while you’re out.”

Vegeta clutched Talon’s forearms and pressed his nose and mouth to Talon’s bicep. Vegeta nodded. He said, regaining his control a little, “Did I wake you? I’m sorry.”

“Not really. I was lounging in the aftereffects of good sex followed by good sleep. Having a real bed is so amazing, but a real bed with you in it is…fuck, I…I see why you’re crying.” Talon moved around and climbed on Vegeta’s lap. “Oh, Vegeta,” he kissed Vegeta’s tears as he spoke, “you poor thing, you’re not used to having feelings, are you?”

Vegeta finally laughed and kissed Talon, murmuring, “Such a smart-ass, soldier. You’ll be punished for that later, when your captain stops blubbering like a baby.”

“I’m not being a smart-ass. I don’t think you’ve ever liked anyone enough to _miss_ them, have you?”

Vegeta shook his head, tried to kiss Talon more, but Talon held his face. “I love you, okay? I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”

“I know. I love you, too.” Vegeta took a deep breath and crushed their bodies together. “I got used to this…to you…all day, every day. I’m used to fighting, killing, being my solace. My favorite thing and…and…now I’d rather be with you. And Frieza’s been putting me on these ninny campaigns. Nappa, Raditz, and I used to run all our own missions with nothing, no supplies, no weapons, no guns. It was a relief. A break from everything. But these neutered missions are long and tedious. They’re calculated to prevent me from increasing my strength and power and skill. He knows. He knows I’m a threat to him.”

Talon looked scared as he held Vegeta’s neck and listened. He said, “What if…what if I could change your missions? I could, you know.”

Vegeta’s eyes found Talon’s and he growled, “No. You’re already at too great a risk thanks to me. I want that, but I think Raditz is already informing on me, so it would come to light very quickly. I may have to do some extra training, which I’ll have time for on these ridiculous missions. Now I have a pressing desire, a time sensitive need, to be free.”

“I’ve still got years before I’m free.”

“At least you’ll be free at some point. I’ll never be free until…”

“I know,” Talon said, his face downcast. “At least once I’m free I could find a place and I’d be there waiting for you whenever you were home.”

Vegeta kissed him softly. “That would be lovely. I forgot that our breaks won’t always line up.”

“No. At least I’ll always have my evenings to come to you. Lucky you fell for a base bitch.”

“Don’t call yourself that, ever,” Vegeta snapped.

Talon looked surprised by his distaste for such epithets. Talon trailed his fingertips along Vegeta’s jawline and revised, “Your on-base, sexy Namek that is absolutely lost for you…How’s that?”

“Better. Mmm…gods, you are sexy. So fucking sexy…” Vegeta murmured against Talon’s lips, “How’s your ass this morning, _minaiya_? I have had very, poor restraint. I’m sorry.”

“Vegeta, I’m fine. I promise I’ll tell you if I’m uncomfortable.”

“You were filled with cum again last night. Hot though it was.”

“I’ve been filled with cum every day, baby, it resolves itself. I’m not in need of shitting directives. My peristalsis manages just fine, thank you.”

“Aren’t you raw? Or sore? Gods, I feel terrible for not being able to keep away from your perfect ass,” Vegeta said, his eyes darting away from Talon’s.

“I don’t want you to keep away from my ass, so don’t start that shit again, we only have two nights left.”

Vegeta let his head thump down onto Talon’s shoulder. “I know.”

Talon took his face again. “Hey, that’s normally all we have and we have a great time. So let’s have a great time. And gods, I, for one, am excited to say goodbye knowing it’s temporary. Our other goodbyes were the worst.”

“True. You’re such an optimist. How did I end up with such an optimist?”

Talon started to rock on his hips. “Just lucky, I guess. Mmm…I was going to make breakfast, but I think I want to make love first, my beautiful Saiyan, what do you say to that?”

Vegeta palmed Talon’s ass through the thin linen pants he wore. “Yes, you sound far more delicious than breakfast.” Talon tipped his chin up and kissed him. Vegeta fell into the kiss, let himself dissolve in his love for Talon. Talon murmured his love for Vegeta and soon they were naked, Vegeta sitting upright on the edge of a chaise, Talon on his lap, riding him. Vegeta’s hands and tail re-explored every inch of Talon’s body. He gasped, nearing his peak, “ _Minaiya_ , my beautiful _minaiya_ , I love you. I love you. Thank you for loving me. For being with me. You’re perfect.”

“Vegeta, I love you so much. I’ll miss you, baby. I’ll miss you so much.”

Vegeta still hadn’t fully adjusted to Talon calling him ‘baby,’ primarily because he loved it. Now, hearing the endearment made him ache pleasantly. Talon’s open mouth, breathing so hard and crying out with every thrust made Vegeta so hot he was almost screaming. Talon’s thumbs moved back and forth roughly over Vegeta’s nipples and Talon gasped, “Come for me, baby, come inside me. I want you to fill me up, baby. Come first, please, baby.”

Vegeta groaned and he drove up hard into Talon, holding his beautiful Namek down on him. Talon’s climax followed Vegeta’s almost immediately so they twitched together, kissing frantically. Vegeta hugged Talon to him, and they held each other for a long time.

“Vegeta?”

“Mmm?” Vegeta hummed, dragging his mouth along Talon’s chest and collarbone.

“You will come back to me? You won’t freak out and think you’re helping me by not coming back?”

“Fuck, Talon…”

“Don’t pretend it hasn’t crossed your mind to ‘save’ me by committing combat suicide. That’s not saving me. That’s cowardice. I want to make sure you know that.”

“I…okay…It has, but I couldn’t. I’m too weak for you. My love, my desire, they’re stronger than any sense of nobility I might have. Remember, selfish prick?”

“Promise me, then. Promise me you’ll come back to me, baby,” Talon said, looking in Vegeta’s eyes, brushing their lips together.

“I promise, _minaiya_ , I promise.”

* * *

That afternoon, they were lounging in bed after a very frisky shower and Vegeta said, “Get up and get your suit on. We’re going into the city near here.”

Talon sat bolt upright. “What? No! Why?”

“You’ll see. Don’t question me, soldier. Follow me, like ten minutes behind. Don’t touch your pockets until we get there.”

“Vegeta, I want to stay here with you.”

“I know, but you’ll love this, I promise. Promise me you’ll go wild.”

“What?”

“No more questions, soldier, do as I say!”

Talon huffed, kissed Vegeta, running his hands over Vegeta’s muscles, and said, “Fine, Captain, I promise, even though I’m very skeptical,” he started sucking on Vegeta’s pecs, “Are you really going to make me get out of this bed, Vegeta? Let you put clothes on? Because I’m pretty seriously opposed to you putting clothes on in my presence.”

Vegeta kissed him, but got up. He started to dress in another sleek black suit he’d gotten, with a blood red silk shirt. Talon gaped and chortled out, “Are you wearing buttons for me again?”

Vegeta bent to kiss Talon again, as he was still sprawled naked in bed. Vegeta helplessly slid his hand down Talon’s shaft. Talon gasped, “Baby, that is not helping me get up.”

Vegeta smirked and nodded to Talon’s rising erection. “Oh, I think it is.”

“You’ll get cum on your suit if you keep that up.”

Vegeta smiled slyly and sucked his way down Talon’s belly. “Only one way to avoid getting cum on my suit, Talon.”

“Vegeta…” Talon breathed, “Oh, fuck…”

Vegeta pulled off, licking Talon’s slit, as he whispered, “Yes, _minaiya_ , did you have something to say?”

Talon shivered as Vegeta moved his mouth up and down, his tongue swirling, beginning to suck. Talon gasped with his lopsided smile as he clutched at Vegeta’s free hand and his hair, “You give the best fucking head I’ve ever had…”

The compliment took Vegeta by surprise and he found himself in the unique position of blushing while sucking dick. Talon saw and gave a little chuff of laughter before his pleasure overtook him and he groaned Vegeta’s name again and again.

After he came, he grabbed the nape of Vegeta’s neck to pull to his mouth for a kiss. Talon made a thoughtful face and said, “I think my semen tastes different than yours.”

“Does it taste greener?” Vegeta asked laughing.

Talon laughed too and said, “I suppose you have a pretty broad range of giz flavors under your belt.”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Talon and said, “No. I don’t. I very rarely suck guys off to completion. Or at all. And I hadn’t come in anyone’s mouth in a really long time until you…took me over the edge. I didn’t even remember what cum tasted like when I blew you in the shower that first night.”

“Really? Vegeta, you’re a continual surprise. How do you suck such good dick?” He tried to pull Vegeta back to bed, his fingers on Vegeta’s buttons.

Vegeta caught his hands, stopped him, and said, “By copying you.”

Talon chuckled. “I’m serious. If you don’t give head, how are you such a pro?”

Vegeta furrowed his brow. “I wasn’t kidding. You give incredible head, so I just try to emulate you, though you can deepthroat in a way that defies anatomy, and that I haven’t mastered.”

“Lucky for you my dick is smaller than yours.”

“It is not.”

“Vegeta, please. It’s just a fact, and we’ve had them side by side enough to know. I certainly don’t care. Your dick is amazing. I love it. It fits me perfectly.”

“Come on, get up, not your dick, your whole perfect body,” Vegeta said, pulling on Talon’s hands.

“Don’t make me. You come back into bed instead,” Talon kissed Vegeta’s knuckles, sucked on them suggestively.

“You will love it. Then we can go to a bar tonight for another faux date. I want to watch everyone ogle you.”

Talon got grumpily to his feet and slowly put on his suit, fake glaring at Vegeta, but unable to completely suppress his smile. He fixed his cuffs as Vegeta watched him. It made Vegeta hard. He murmured, “Sexy dressed too. So deadly,” and he kissed Talon.

“Likewise. Let’s get to it. I don’t want you dressed any longer than necessary. What is going on with my pocket?” Talon moved to look.

Vegeta said, “No peeking. No touching. Once you’re inside at our destination, then you can look. Discreetly, I might add.”

Talon threw his hands in the air and rolled his eyes dramatically. “Fine. Let’s go. Let’s go.”

Vegeta shot through the air. When he touched down in the city, Talon hovered overhead, high enough that most species wouldn’t be able to see him. Vegeta walked into the high-end men’s clothing boutique that he had chosen, thinking it would most appeal to Talon’s tastes.

The shopkeeper’s jaw dropped seeing Vegeta. She knew who he was, but she also checked him out. He gave her a seductive smirk and handed her some cash as he said, “I highly value discretion. Understand?” She nodded frantically, blushing as he kissed her knuckles for his own amusement. He moved to peruse the calmer, more subdued portion of their collection.

Vegeta didn’t have to fake being thunderstruck by Talon as he strolled into the store. He had unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt, revealing a tantalizing amount of collarbone and pectoral. The blue, ice-steel necklace glimmered, bringing out the cuffs on his ears. He looked like a god. A god of sex. The saleswoman approached him, and though she had correctly read Talon as only being interested in men, when Talon turned his half-smile on her, she flushed and put her hand to her throat.

“C…can…can I help you?” she stammered.

“Thank you,” Talon said, his full smile making her shake a little, “But I’ll have a look around first.”

“Of course,” she breathed, “Just let me know if you need anything.”

Talon nodded. As Talon wove his way through the shop, Vegeta deliberately moved so he would “accidentally” bump into Talon. Vegeta smirked as he saw Talon touch his pocket, then he tried to master his face. His eyes went wide with understanding. Talon looked surreptitiously at the note Vegeta had wrapped around the huge clip of cash. It said, “Go wild, _minaiya,_ ” in Vegeta’s tight, font-like handwriting.

Vegeta took the opportunity to adjust so that Talon jostled Vegeta as he stared at the note. Vegeta saw the shop girl’s face go pale when Talon knocked into him. Talon turned to apologize and she held her breath audibly.

Vegeta smoothly said, “Clumsy me. Apologies,” and he bowed a little.

Talon gave Vegeta his beautiful, guileless half-smile and said, “No, no, I was distracted. Sorry. Are you alright?”

The shopkeeper gaped. Her wide eyes watched Vegeta.

Vegeta said, looking Talon over, “Fine. Wonderful, really. That suit is spectacular on you. Did you get it here?”

“No, my boyfriend got it up north. His taste is impeccable.”

“Not just with suits.”

Talon smiled coyly and said, “I know, the shirt is gorgeous too, isn’t it?”

“Not as gorgeous as the wearer.”

Talon flushed. He said, “Maybe you’d be willing to give me some opinions if I try anything on? You look like you have an eye for fashion.”

“My boyfriend thinks so. I’m here for him. Obviously I dress on the staid side.”

“He’s a lucky man if you’re shopping here for him.”

“I’m the lucky one, I assure you. Maybe you could offer me advice on a piece or two he might like. He favors clothes more like yours.”

“I’d be delighted.”

They made their way through the store, chatting amiably about their boyfriends. Once Talon had a few things, the woman offered to start a room and he thanked her. She looked like she was watching a cosmic event unfold. She said to Vegeta, “Sir…will you need a room?”

“No, thank you. I’m shopping for a gift.”

They made their way back to the fitting room. The rooms were in a corner of the store.Vegeta had checked and from the register, one could see the entrance to the dressing room hallway, but not the entrances to any of the dressing rooms themselves. There were plush chairs in a waiting area outside the rooms. Talon said, “Would you mind? I’m going to try on a couple things,” he looked hopefully at Vegeta.

“My pleasure,” Vegeta said and followed Talon to the rooms. He sat in a chair and waited until he was certain Talon was naked, then he slipped silently into the fitting room, startling Talon.

“Vegeta!” he hissed quietly, with a huge smile.

Vegeta put his mouth on Talon’s to silence him. He spit-lubed himself as he pulled his aching hard-on out of his slacks. He gasped, “Yes?”

“Fuck, yeah,” Talon breathed against his lips. Vegeta grabbed him by his thighs, thrusting into him as they kissed furiously, stifling each other’s cries. Vegeta bucked hard into Talon, the risk and the secrecy and all their covert banter about each other had made him wild with lust for Talon.

Talon gasped, “Fuck, baby, your shirt, better turn me around or I’ll come on your shirt.”

Vegeta acrobatically spun Talon, never pulling out, and Talon hooked his feet behind Vegeta’s knees. Talon turned and kissed Vegeta over his shoulder, reaching one hand to caress Vegeta’s face while bracing his other against the wall. He rasped, “Hard, baby, fuck me hard. Deep.”

Vegeta did and reached around to stroke Talon. Talon seized Vegeta’s mouth with his and spurted in Vegeta’s hand, which Vegeta caught, not wanting to leave that sort of evidence. He groaned as he came deep inside Talon, using Talon’s mouth to muffle his cries.

He helped Talon dismount and licked the cum off his hand. Talon’s eyelids went heavy as he put Vegeta back in his pants and tucked in his shirt. He watched Vegeta clean off of his hand and Vegeta watched Talon get hard again. He whispered, “Shit, Vegeta!”

“I can be quick—“ Vegeta said and dropped to his knees in front of Talon. He was starving for his _minaiya_.

And he was quick, walking out into the main part of the store casually and calling, “I liked the one you had on, it suited you.” He browsed for a few minutes, working hard to keep his smile subdued.

Vegeta picked out a few things for Talon and left them at the counter. Talon peeked out of the hallway and said, “Could I get another opinion?”

Vegeta ambled back to the fitting room. Talon was in a spectacular suit and shirt: the suit was vivid turquoise silk, the shirt a bamboo blend covered in bright, rich yellow zinnias and orange tiger lilies. Vegeta’s eyes crawled over Talon. He smirked as he purred, “I liked what you had on a minute ago better, but this is very nice. I do hope this boyfriend of yours doesn’t limit what you can buy? That would be a shame. Someone who wears clothes so beautifully should be at liberty to get whatever they wish.”

“No, he’s quite extravagant. But I feel ridiculous buying everything I want,” Talon said, raising an eyebrow at Vegeta.

“I’m sure he would want you to have everything you desire. I’m sure he loves you intensely,” Vegeta said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow back.

“He does. Though he mostly expresses it with lavish gifts,” Talon said, his face softening.

“Then it would wound him if you don’t indulge your every whim. Certainly if I sent my boyfriend out shopping with my money, I would want him to go wild, to purchase every single thing he wished. It would break my heart if he didn’t take me at my word.”

Talon smirked and kissed Vegeta. “You rich men, all the same.”

Vegeta ran his hand over the growing bulge in Talon’s slacks. “Perhaps I can offer some opinions on these other pieces?”

Talon grinned and shoved Vegeta into one of the chairs. He left the fitting room door open. He said, “That would be much appreciated,” and shrugged slowly out of the jacket. He hung it up, turning his back to Vegeta, bending over to slip off the shoes he’d tried on.

As he stood back up, he glanced at Vegeta over his shoulder, gave Vegeta the seductive version of his lopsided smile, and Vegeta heard him unzip the trousers. Talon turned around slowly, caressed his way up to his top button. He undid each carefully, opening the shirt a tantalizing amount each time. Once the buttons were undone, Talon reached across his chest, swirling his forefinger on his nipple and then pushing the shirt back off his shoulder. He did the same with the other side, then threw his shoulders and head back to expose all of his glorious slender neck, and the shirt slipped down to the floor. 

Talon ran his hands over his chest, stopping longer on his nipples this time, grinning at Vegeta, his eyes glittering. He caressed down his torso, his eyelids falling heavy, like he was about to come, and his slid one hand into his trousers.

Vegeta revised his opinion that Talon would’ve been a dancer in a just world, and decided his Namek lover was born for the theater. Talon’s eyes slid open slowly and found Vegeta’s as he cruelly kept his shaft hidden as he stroked himself. His other hand continued trailing over his belly and pecs, stopping occasionally to twist his nipples until Talon gave a breathy cry. All while staring intently into Vegeta’s eyes.

His free hand finally trailed along the waistband of the trousers and helped the pants fall free from Talon’s slender, muscular hips. They dropped to the ground, revealing that Talon wore no boxers. He stepped free of the pants in only his necklace and earrings. Vegeta’s hard-on strained toward his _minaiya_ like it didn’t care whether Vegeta’s body followed along or not.Talon squeezed down his own shaft, making his eyelids flutter, then he twisted a few times on his head, before pushing his length back through his fist. Vegeta had never wanted to be fucked so badly in his life.

Talon gradually relinquished his cock and donned another suit, giving Vegeta a shy smile, and even blushing, as if he hadn’t just done a strip-tease and almost stroked himself to completion performing for Vegeta in public. Vegeta didn’t want to rush Talon, so he decided their faux date might be off. Once he had Talon back in their bed, he would never be able to make himself leave again.

“What do you think of this one?” Talon asked.

“Tch. The thing you had on before was my favorite, particularly how that piece fit through the crotch. It looked perfect. Excellent.”

Talon laughed and said, “It is almost like it was tailor-made, but I have one that I like the fit through the crotch even better. It feels…luxurious. Ecstatic, even?”

Vegeta had to look away to keep from laughing. Talon stripped and stroked his way through several more outfits until Vegeta didn’t even understand how Talon was holding back his orgasm. He’d held out his hand once for Vegeta to lick off the pre-cum and Vegeta thought for a brief moment that he was going to come just from the taste of Talon. Vegeta stifled a groan when the next time, Talon licked his own pre-cum off his fingers. But still Talon didn’t get off.

Vegeta’s level of arousal was painful. He throbbed for Talon, but there were other customers in the store now. Vegeta was titillated by the idea of fucking Talon with other customers nearby, but also didn’t want to put his _minaiya_ at risk. He shoved Talon into his fitting room, kissed him fiercely and said, “I’m going to go and buy a few gifts for my boyfriend. You have exquisite taste. I’m sure your sugar-daddy will very much enjoy taking you out of these.”

Talon gasped, “Vegeta, I’m aching for you.”

“ _Minaiya_ , it’s…there’s other people…”

“Please,” Talon pleaded, squirming against Vegeta.

Vegeta growled, “Make a proper request, soldier.”

“Please suck me off, Captain. I want you to fuck me, but the mess…”

“You liked how I handled it earlier,” Vegeta whispered, licking along Talon’s jaw.

“Baby…I made a request…”

Vegeta picked Talon up by his bare ass and lifted him high enough that Vegeta could take Talon’s perfect, thrumming cock in his mouth while standing. Talon got excited about Vegeta’s shows of strength, so even though lifting Talon was effortless for Vegeta, he could hear Talon’s breathing speed up. Talon went wild as Vegeta began to move his body instead of Vegeta’s head. Talon whispered, “Oh my gods, baby, you are so hot…gods, baby…oh fuck, I loved stroking myself for you…”

Vegeta sucked him harder, gripping his firm ass. Talon covered his mouth with his hand. Vegeta wanted to get Talon home so badly he could barely focus on giving Talon head. Vegeta’s tail unwound from his waist and slid up Talon’s leg. Vegeta felt that it had very naughty plans.

Talon bit his hand to silence himself as Vegeta’s tail aggressively probed his pucker. Vegeta pulled off to whisper, “Do you want me to—“

“Suck my dick, baby, I’m so close, please, I need your mouth!”

Vegeta slid Talon back into his mouth and his tail did not technically penetrate Talon, but Talon’s claws dragged roughly on his scalp as he groaned quietly, “Sweet gods, Vegeta, I’m coming so hard for you…” and Talon’s whole body seized, his legs wrapping tightly around Vegeta’s chest as he bucked up into Vegeta’s mouth.

Vegeta moaned as Talon filled his mouth. He slid Talon back down his body, licking and nipping his perfect flesh. Talon grabbed his jaw roughly and kissed him. He rasped, “Why does it turn me on so much to taste my cum on your tongue, Vegeta?”

“Because you love how I suck you off?”

Talon dressed quickly in his purple suit and said, “No. It’s because it makes me feel like you’re mine. Like you love pleasuring me.”

“Mmm…I am yours, Talon, and I’ve never wanted anyone’s pleasure more. Not even my own. You came so hard for me, _minaiya_.”

“Can we go home, baby?” Talon asked.

“Not until you’ve had fun spending my money.”

They heard a male-female couple trying on something in the room next to theirs and Talon grinned and dropped to his knees. He deep-throated Vegeta so suddenly that Vegeta shoved his knuckles in his mouth to stifle his cries and still a soft whimper escaped him. Talon sucked until Vegeta was on the brink, but then Talon pulled off suddenly and put Vegeta roughly back in his pants, tucking in his shirt and tightening his belt.

Vegeta spluttered, his cock pulsating, “Talon, fuck…please…Talon…”

Talon held Vegeta’s jaw again and kissed him. “Finish shopping for your boyfriend and I’ll see you at home. Don’t you dare touch that prick of yours. It’s mine, baby. There’s been a mutiny, and now _I’m_ captain of this ship,” Talon said, barely audible as he groped Vegeta through his slacks. “I’m going to finish going wild here, and then I am going to go home to my boyfriend and fuck him until he can’t walk. You, good sir, should do the same with your boyfriend, that lucky bastard.”

Vegeta rolled his hips against Talon and murmured, “I’m the lucky one. The luckiest. He is my everything. And I’m starving for him.”

Talon bit his lip softly, rocked his pelvis against Vegeta and said, “Then you better get home to him, baby, so he can take care of you.”

“Promise you’ll go home to your boyfriend? Soon? He must miss you.”

Talon kissed Vegeta and whispered, “I think you can go out, they don’t know we’re in here together.”

Vegeta licked the edge of Talon’s ear, sucking his new earring and breathed, “I’m very tempted to stay and ravish you for your insubordination, soldier.”

“Mmm…” Talon squeezed Vegeta’s hard-on through his trousers and said, “You have no authority here anymore, Captain, you’re at the mercy of this soldier. Don’t forget the mutiny.”

Vegeta was shockingly turned on by Talon withholding his pleasure. He didn’t know what to make of this new dynamic, and he considered seeing how Talon responded to Vegeta reasserting his dominance, but for now, Talon was happy, if aggressive, and when Talon was happy, Vegeta was happy. 

He took what power he had and shoved his hand down Talon’s pants and stroked Talon roughly, pushing the tip of his index finger back and forth along Talon’s slit as pre-cum beaded up. He moved his hand until Talon was kissing him frantically and pleading for release via Vegeta’s mouth. Vegeta wanted to withhold it. He wanted to make Talon wait. To hurry him home, but Vegeta couldn’t resist Talon’s pleasure.

He brought Talon off quickly, almost coming himself as Talon’s cum filled his mouth again. Vegeta adjusted his hard-on and left the dressing room without another word, grateful there was no one to see him emerge. He cruised the store one last time, and when Talon came out, the fiery look he gave Vegeta was practically audible it was so intense. Vegeta paid and took a long last look at Talon enjoying Vegeta’s wealth. As he left the store with more gifts for his _minaiya_ , and Talon smiled seductively at him and said, “Thank you for your excellent opinions, your taste is amazing,” he lowered his voice further, “Delicious. I hope I’ll have a mouthful of it soon.”

Vegeta managed to keep a straight face as he said, “Your taste is also unparalleled. I’m glad I got to experience it more than once. It will be…hard…not to have your taste on other shopping trips.”

Talon’s lopsided grin took Vegeta’s breath away as he lowered his eyelids and said, “Your boyfriend must treasure you so much. Go home to him.”

“You too,” was all Vegeta could manage to get out.

Vegeta flew home and hid the things he’d gotten for Talon. He waited, reading Shakespeare naked on a chaise outside, his hard-on raging, and his tail lashing in anticipation. He tried to keep his mind from the long mission ahead. How much time Talon’s safety would be at risk.

He smelled Talon’s return, and he’d purchased cologne. Vegeta didn’t want to be controlling, but he intended to gainsay that nonsense, at least while he was around. Talon’s scent was too delectable to cover. Vegeta put the heavy book over his dick, covering his erection, and feigned sleep.

“You don’t fool me for a minute, baby. I see you peeking out from Shakespeare.”

Talon’s shadow fell over him and Vegeta smirked. “Did you have fun while you were out shopping, _minaiya_? Did you go wild? Are you angry that I made us leave the bed?”

Talon removed his suit jacket, folding it carefully over the back of a chair. Vegeta watched him, wondering if he would strip when Vegeta could do something about it. Talon tossed something at him. Vegeta caught it and frowned. It was the remaining cash.

He threw it back and Talon startled, fumbling, but catching it. “I tried, Vegeta, I couldn’t spend it all. That is a lot of money! I got every single thing I wanted!” He lobbed it back to Vegeta.

Vegeta set the book aside and took the fold of bills and stuffed them in the pocket of Talon’s suit jacket. He stood in front of Talon and unbuttoned him slowly. Talon canted his head and leaned closer to Vegeta to whisper, “Such mastery. No button will ever best the Prince of All Saiyans.”

Vegeta chuckled and moved to push the shirt back off Talon’s shoulders, but Talon seized his hands. He startled Vegeta by taking him down with a quick sweeping kick, and he pinned Vegeta’s hands above his head. “Vegeta, why are you stuffing a ridiculous wad of cash in my pocket?”

“Because I’ll be gone over two weeks. Miserable for seventeen fucking days. I would like to be able to imagine you buying things you enjoy to console yourself in my absence. I want to think of you finding more ridiculous shirts for me to practice my button skills on. To think of you drinking fine wine in our cozy little room while you stroke yourself thinking of me. Because thinking of you being happy, because of me, is the only way I will survive.”

“Fuck, Vegeta! Why did you have to have a sweet, romantic answer?”

Vegeta furrowed his brow. “That’s the truth!”

“I know! Damnit!”

“What did you expect me to say?” Vegeta said, confused as to why Talon was angry with him.

“I don’t know! Not that. Fuck, Vegeta. Seventeen fucking days. I guess at least your break will be four days, but we only overlap for two of them,” Talon said and his eyes glassed over.

Vegeta rolled his hips up against Talon and whispered, “Don’t cry, _minaiya_. We’ll be alright. My run after this one is short at least. I’ll miss you, though. I always miss you when I’m away. You’re quite addictive.”

“I know. I miss you, too,” Talon said and ground down on Vegeta, “It feels like your cock missed me while I finished going wild. But I have to do a fashion show, so it’ll have to wait. To be patient.”

Vegeta groaned, his whole pelvis felt leaden with want. “Talon, please…this is cruel. Leaving me hanging in the dressing room was brutal enough. You aren’t really going to make me wait?”

Talon stood up and shimmied out of his slacks. He said, “Baby, I want something from you…”

“Anything,” Vegeta gasped, feeling the absence of Talon’s weight on him like a missing limb.

“Good. That’s a good soldier. Your new captain will be back out in a minute. You be ready to take your orders, soldier.”

Vegeta lunged up and threw Talon down on a chaise, taking Talon’s hard-on in his hand. He growled against Talon’s lips as he kissed him savagely, “I’m not sure you have what it takes to be captain, soldier. I can put down this mutiny. It’s my job to reassert control.”

Talon held his legs tightly together stopping Vegeta’s hand on its way to his bud.

Vegeta looked in Talon’s eyes, trying to determine whether Talon wanted a little rough play or if he wanted to keep being dominant. Talon looked imperious, defiant…powerful. Vegeta would never win. He was too eager to please Talon. But he was stubborn, too. Vegeta moved and sucked on Talon’s knees. He dragged his tongue up the crevice where Talon’s thighs were clamped tightly together.

Vegeta reached Talon’s balls and pulled one into his mouth, sucking it and circling his tongue around it as he tugged, just a little. He sucked in a leisurely way before releasing it and moving on to the other. A few breathy cries escaped Talon and he began to squirm. Vegeta licked around the base of Talon’s very erect cock, then kissed his way up to Talon’s belly button. He pushed his tongue into Talon’s navel and swirled it and pulsed it until Talon’s fingers were tangled in his hair.

“Vegeta…”

Vegeta ignored him, but moved to curl his tongue into Talon’s slit, tasting the pre-cum beading out of him. Vegeta lapped at it languidly for a long time and Talon’s cries became more desperate. Vegeta’s tongue delved back into his belly button for a moment then began to tour all the trenches between Talon’s steely ab muscles.

“Baby…please…”

Vegeta said nothing, but grazed his teeth over one of Talon’s nipples. Talon covered his mouth to stifle his groan and his hips surged up, seeking contact. The tip of Vegeta’s tongue delicately dragged along the edge of Talon’s areola before he began to suck Talon’s nipple hard, tapping his tongue against the hardening nub. He worked Talon’s nipple as if it were a woman’s clit and Talon cried out for him. Pleaded.

Talon’s legs fell open invitingly. Vegeta slid one hand onto Talon’s slender hip and squeezed it. Talon’s body rose to meet the touch. Talon made a disappointed noise when Vegeta only gripped his hip. Vegeta’s thumb traveled toward Talon’s crotch along the raised, red, velvety ridge that separated his pink abdomen from the tiny green ridges of his flanks. The red dove down at a sharp angle to the base of his prick. Vegeta’s thumb cruised back and forth on the red line until Talon writhed and begged.

Vegeta moved his mouth with decadent slowness to Talon’s other nipple. He splayed his hand on the front of Talon’s hip, making Talon prematurely thank Vegeta for his mercy. But he only held the front of Talon’s hip, keeping up his thumb’s journey, but now his thumb slid lower, along the crease of Talon’s thigh, the nail grazing Talon’s testicle. 

Talon spread his legs even wider. Wide enough that Vegeta could climb right between them and thrust into Talon. But he didn’t. He did move his hand to grip the inside of Talon’s thigh, his thumb tantalizingly close to Talon’s bud, but Vegeta wouldn’t give in to that, not yet. His thumb teased Talon, though, gliding close to, but never touching, the puckered flesh that now trembled eagerly for Vegeta.

Talon tried to move his hands to grab Vegeta, but Vegeta, faster than Talon could react, used chi to bind his hands above his head to the chaise. He looked into Talon’s eyes to make sure he wasn’t uncomfortable or scared. Talon’s eyes glittered, even though an unsure lopsided smile spread on his face. A light flush bloomed on his cheeks. 

Vegeta returned silently to his nipple and Talon fought to master himself but pleaded, “Vegeta, please? Please!”

Vegeta settled between Talon’s legs, but he decided to give Talon a little turnabout, now that he had tormented Vegeta twice with public masturbation. Vegeta’s heart thundered. He had never touched himself in front of anyone. It felt insanely vulnerable, and selfish in a way that generally went against all Vegeta’s sexual preferences. But Vegeta liked doing new things with Talon. New things had been amazing with Talon.

He bent over Talon, kissed his mouth, Talon begging against his lips. Vegeta sat up on his haunches and gripped his cock. He paused thoughtfully, then experimentally held his hand out toward Talon’s mouth. Talon’s eyes lit up and he licked and sucked Vegeta’s palm and fingers, soaking them deliberately in saliva.

Talon’s chest heaved and his eyelids lowered as Vegeta returned his now slick hand to his prick. He slid it up and down slowly at first, squeezing tighter and twisting on his head.

“Fuck, yes, baby! You’re so hot. I fucking love this, Vegeta,” Talon growled, his hips thrusting non-stop.

Vegeta moved faster, his eyes taking in all of Talon’s beautiful, aroused body. “Gods, Talon, look how you’re dripping for me. When you did this for me…fuck, what it did to me…”

Talon’s eyes met his, surprisingly scared and unsure, “Did you like it?”

“I fucking loved it, _minaiya._ I can’t wait to ravish you.”

“Baby, you can ravish me now…” Talon said, his legs rolling up farther, spreading wider.

Vegeta smirked and continued stroking himself. He was so close. He kissed Talon and murmured, “No, Talon, I’m going to come all over you.”

“Vegeta, holy shit, yes!” Talon panted and strained against the chi bond on his wrists.

Fear and vulnerability made Vegeta feel exposed, so he trembled, but he let himself go and spurted all over Talon’s prick and belly. Talon gasped his name and pleaded for Vegeta to free him. Vegeta cleaned him off and kissed him. He left Talon pinned as he went inside. He returned with Talon’s packages. He bent to kiss Talon’s mouth and said, “ _Now_ it’s time for your fashion show, soldier.”

“Captain, please…” Talon breathed, his hips rolling toward Vegeta.

“Please what, soldier?”

“You know, baby. Please fuck me. I’m so turned on from you touching yourself. Please…please, Vegeta?”

Vegeta released the chi restraint with a flick of his hand. Talon leapt up from the chaise and kissed Vegeta frantically. Vegeta wrapped his arms languidly around Talon’s lithe body. He whispered between Talon’s desperate kisses, “Time…for…your…fashion…show…”

“Don’t make me, baby. I’ll be good. Please?” Talon said, sucking on Vegeta’s ear.

Vegeta pulled one of Talon’s legs up on his hip and slid his other hand into the cleft of Talon’s taut ass. “Mmm…are you going to tease me like that again, _minaiya_? Torment me? Very cruel to leave your captain so achingly hard for so long that he had to handle it himself.”

Talon’s lopsided grin set Vegeta’s heart galloping off to do anything Talon wanted. He kissed Vegeta more as his hands roamed up and down Vegeta’s back. “Didn’t you like it, just a little, baby?”

“Maybe a little,” Vegeta growled and kissed Talon more tenderly. He hiked Talon’s other leg onto his hip. “Are you going to keep being recalcitrant about me spoiling you?”

“No, baby. Thank you. That was unnecessary, but it was fun. Did it make you happy?”

“Doing anything with you makes me happy, Talon. But I’m glad my wealth can bring you, and by proxy me, some joy. And everything looks so fucking hot on you. When we’re free, I’ll take you out every night to show you off.”

Talon wrapped his whole body tightly around Vegeta and whispered, “Do you think we’ll ever be free, Vegeta?”

“You make me want to find a way, Talon. Sooner rather than later.”

“I just want you to be safe. I’d rather be enslaved together than lose you.”

Vegeta couldn’t stomach that thought. He craved freedom like food—he could wait, but not forever. He considered telling Talon about the plan he and Raditz were working on, but didn’t want to add more risk to Talon’s already dangerous position. So he remained silent and took Talon into the soft grass and made love to him. Vegeta decided he never wanted to torment Talon again: that if he couldn’t find a safe way to free Talon, he would make Talon hate him so much that he’d be glad to be rid of Vegeta. If Vegeta couldn’t free Talon safely, he’d at least be free from Vegeta, from loving Vegeta. The thought made tears flood his eyes, so he hoped it never came to that.


	6. Missions and Omissions

Vegeta tried to hold himself together for their goodbye. It wasn’t a forever goodbye, so he knew he didn’t need to be a blubbering mess about it as he had been about their other partings. They had been apart nearly this long before without knowing they’d be reunited. There was no reason for Vegeta to be upset.

Talon was on his hips, crying into his shoulder, which wasn’t helping him leave or keep from sobbing like a spoiled child deprived of his favorite new toy. Talon’s muffled voice said, “No stupid Saiyan bullshit, right?”

“No more than usual,” Vegeta said and turned to nudge Talon’s face to his.

“I mean it, Vegeta,” Talon said with a soft kiss, “I’ll find you in hell and kick your ass if you try to ‘save’ me with your misguided suicide.”

Vegeta chuckled and kissed Talon more deeply. “Enjoy your extra day here, okay? Touch yourself a lot for me? So I can imagine you doing it.”

“You know you can imagine it even if I don’t do it, right? That’s the whole thing about imagination, baby,” Talon said and his lopsided smile broke through his tears.

Vegeta nipped at Talon’s lips before growling, “Ever the smart mouth on you, soldier. No sympathy for your captain’s needs. And no time for punishment right now.” Vegeta paused to hold Talon’s jaw in his hand, to slip his tongue inside Talon’s mouth, taste his blood on Talon’s sexy fangs before he whispered, “And you’ll go to our room a couple times to obscure our trail? Carefully though; make sure no one tails you.”

“Yeah, but it’ll only make me more lonely. I wish we could communicate somehow, but I think it’s too risky. Fuck. I’m going to miss you so much, baby.”

“I know, _minaiya_ , it’s going to be terrible, especially because communication is off the table, it would put you in danger,” Vegeta said and trailed his mouth along Talon’s jaw, “I better go, if I can convince my tail to get out of your pants.”

“That reminds me—if Raditz is suspicious, you probably shouldn’t tail-mark me when I’m going back to base. I’ll have to be careful and shower right before I go back, since the frisky thing can’t ever keep off me.”

“Shit. Yes. I can’t believe I didn’t think about the fact that aside from Raditz and Nappa, there are several species on base that would be able to scent me on you, and put it together. Gods-fucking-damnit! I hate being so…so…so fucking constrained. It’s infuriating!”

“It really is. I was thinking about when you get back on base how unbearable it’s going to be that I can’t just run into your arms and let you ravish me on the docking room floor.”

“Gods, I would, too, I’d probably fuck you all the way to the barracks. Maybe stop in the showers on the way.”

“This line of thought is not going to help you make it back to base on time. You need to go,” Talon said, calming himself with a shaky breath. He set to work getting Vegeta’s tail off his thigh, where it was wound tightly underneath Talon’s loose linen pants. “You little minx, come on, you’re going to get us in trouble, and then you’ll never get to touch me again!”

Vegeta exerted all his will to make his tail unwind, but it didn’t move a bit until Talon warned it. It was shameful how disobedient his fucking tail was. He gave it a stern look and it reluctantly wrapped around his uniformed waist. They kissed a final time and held hands. “I love you,” Vegeta whispered.

“I know, baby, I love you, too,” Talon said and there was no smile now, only more tears brimming on the edge of Talon’s lower eyelid.

Vegeta flew back to base, trying to make his chest stop aching. Talon was his. His secret, maybe, instead of his openly acknowledged boyfriend…or mate. He smiled thinking of the fortune he’d had that Talon had wound up on that mission. Every minute of their holiday together had been perfect. Vegeta knew that perfection couldn’t last, but it felt amazing to have something good in his miserable fucking life.

He touched down minutes before he was due in his pod. Raditz and Nappa were messing around on the launch pad, feeling each other up, their tails slinking all over each other. Vegeta considered incinerating them both. Nappa whispered to Raditz and the hirsute bastard came sauntering over to Vegeta.

“How was your leave, Prince Vegeta?”

“Better than being on base.”

“I hope it was enjoyable.”

“It was quieter than being around you two idiots,” Vegeta said with a smirk and a snort.

Nappa chuckled and said, “Don’t whores scream for you, boss?”

Vegeta gave him a big, knowing smile and said, “Not if you gag them, something you two might try sometime.”

“Oh yeah, Raditz has! Hard to tie me up though, I just wreck everything.”

“Not a problem with whores.”

Vegeta could see Raditz weighing whether he believed Vegeta or not. Vegeta had considered this eventuality and had found a whorehouse that allowed patrons to purchase a private room complete with hooker for a day at a time. Vegeta bought ten days worth of whores, leaving each girl a bonus and a note to enjoy their day off.

“Oh? And did you find an establishment to your taste, Prince Vegeta.”

Vegeta told Raditz the name of the place, the type of girl they specialized in, and how he liked it because it was clean and saved him the trouble of finding lodging on top of fucking. Raditz’s face contorted with disappointment. He’d clearly anticipated catching Vegeta in a lie, or backing him into a corner where he might reveal the truth. But Vegeta had rehearsed his thoughts and feelings about the whorehouse over and over so that it felt like the truth.

Only once he’d established his whereabouts during his holiday did Raditz finally get to what Vegeta wanted to talk about: Raditz’s younger brother who they had located on that valueless planet, Earth. Flashes of Talon reading him passages from the Earth novels came in Vegeta’s mind and he had to subdue his smile. Raditz’s parents had sent Kakarot, as his brother was called, to Earth because Raditz’s father, Bardock had suspected Frieza was through with the Saiyans.

Raditz said, “I heard that everyone said he was the strongest baby born in a long, long time. Stronger than you, it was rumored, and that your father permitted them to send him off only because he thought Kakarot would perish.”

Vegeta snorted, “Well, I’ll believe that when I meet him. For our sakes, I hope he is. I’m not strong enough yet for what we intend, and even with the two of you backing me, it’s not enough. I wish he’d stop reining us in. It’s fucking maddening. The next few missions, I’ll be training, if you two can cover for me. And then before we head back, you’ll have to beat me close to death so you can throw me in the healing pod when we get back. Every time we can do that brings us closer. You two will never be able to have young as long as we’re slaves, so we need him. We need me.”

Vegeta weighed whether it was worth confronting Raditz about his obvious interest in Vegeta’s private life. He decided to be bold. “And just why the fuck have you been so concerned about my private life? Who’s paying you?” Nappa’s face gave it away, but Raditz’s did too, if less obviously. “Is it that ass-raping monster, Zarbon?”

“What are you talking about? I’m simply concerned for your safety, Prince Vegeta.”

“The fuck you are. I don’t understand what possible use where I whore could be to anyone. Frieza doesn’t give a shit about any of that as long as I’m not begetting any children, which I assure you, I’m not.”

Raditz looked nervous. “It’s…it’s not like that.”

“What _is_ it like, then, you fucker? And make it quick, we launch in three minutes.”

“It’s just that I want to make sure you’re all in on this Earth thing. If I do this, I’m really putting myself out there for you. If you’re getting…distracted…I won’t do it.”

“It’s your freedom too, you cur. I’m not distracted. I’m just burned out from these joyless, bloodless, candy-ass missions. Don’t tell me you’re okay with what he’s been having us do?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then stop jumping down my throat every time I do anything, it’s driving me fucking crazy to feel like you’re spying on me! If we don’t have our fellow Saiyans, we’re fucked. Do you really want to live the rest of your long lives under this fuckwit? I’m your only hope, but it won’t work if we don’t all play our parts.”

Raditz lost his temper and he snarled, “Then why won’t you fucking tell us what you’re up to! You’re going off base all the time! It’s making it hard to trust you! You’re in the best position to actually achieve a real rank in the Frieza Force. Nappa and I are fucked if we don’t get freedom. But we’re likely fucked if we stay too, because you’ll climb and leave us behind!”

“How can you think my _pride_ would ever allow me to just…just…just aspire to be Frieza’s lap-dog? The very idea makes me want to vomit. I don’t care if he’d let me run every fucking thing, if he was still above me, I couldn’t stomach it. And I’ve never believed for a fucking second that a meteor destroyed Vegetasei. You both know that’s bullshit. I’ll have my vengeance. Forgive me if where I put my dick isn’t an open theater act like it is for you two! I’m not particularly proud of _whoring_ , Raditz, I’m a fucking prince. I’m royalty. I should have a godsdamned queen! But my reputation around base has…preceded me. I need a break from the chase. I want simplicity while we plan. I never know which soldiers are fucking me for pleasure and which are just spies. It’s tedious. So I’ve been going off base. I would never betray either of you!”

Raditz nodded. “Okay, okay, gods, Vegeta, settle down or someone will hear you. We need to move on Kakarot. If I could get this information, you know that meddling, green, power-tripping pervert, Zarbon, can as well. I think we should anticipate sending me within the year, when the opportunity arises if we ever get a mission with just the three of us again. We may have to find someone we trust in the base liaison department to get us a good mission.”

“Indeed. Let me take care of that. I’ll put my dick to use when the time is right,” Vegeta said, his mind already spinning with how to take Talon with them, how to get him out at the same time so he didn’t have to risk leaving Talon until after he’d assassinated Frieza.

Raditz finally smiled as they headed to their pods and said, “I have heard your dick does good work, Vegeta. Lucky whores.”

* * *

Vegeta’s whole body shook as he finally made his way to their room in the boarding house. He had once again managed to finish a mission early, so he and Talon would have three days. Before Vegeta left on the interminable, boring mission, he and Talon decided that Talon would go spend his entire four day break at the room, and that whenever Vegeta returned, he would join Talon.

It thrilled him to be able to surprise Talon. He handed the owner some cash as he came in and she bowed her head politely, but said nothing. He moved silently up the stairs. He had scented Talon from outside the boarding house and he was hard just from that. He unlocked the door and stepped inside as his tail came free and slashed side to side so wildly that Vegeta worried it would hurt itself in the narrow hallway.

Talon was out on the balcony, reading Shakespeare, his lanky legs stretched straight in front of him and crossed at the ankles. He looked exquisite in turquoise silk slacks and the bright yellow and orange floral shirt he’d first stripped out of for Vegeta when they shopped together. It always worried Vegeta when Talon was so oblivious, but he could hear a band playing out by the lake on the warm day, and he supposed it impaired Talon’s normally excellent hearing.

Vegeta didn’t want to startle Talon, so he called softly, “I thought you wanted to run into my arms and get ravished?” He set his bag down and headed out toward Talon.

Talon sprang up, setting his book down, and he did leap into Vegeta’s arms, conveniently knocking him back onto the bed, straddling him as he held his face and kissed him. 

“Vegeta! I can’t believe you’re here! A whole day early! I wasn’t even listening for you because I didn’t dare to hope. I thought I heard the lock, but I’ve been doing that all morning, so I wrote it off as wishful hallucinating,” Talon paused to kiss him deeply and tug at his tank top. “No buttons for me today, hmm…”

“Think how much longer you would have been deprived of my company if I had to master a whole placket of buttons on my own. You look like you dressed to ensure I continued my practice. Like maybe you dressed for me.”

“I wear one of your suits every day I’m not on duty. I like thinking about my sugar-daddy. About the things I did while shopping with that gorgeous guy I met.”

Vegeta kissed up either side of Talon’s neck before he sucked on his ears, tasting the metal that Vegeta liked to pretend laid a claim on Talon, marked Talon as untouchable. Marked him as Vegeta’s. He murmured, “No one tried to take anything off you in the showers?”

“Mmm…no. As predicted, a few people heard that I have a sugar-daddy who’s powerful in the city. Word also got around what I did to the last guy.”

“What _did_ you do?” Vegeta murmured in Talon’s ear and kissed over his jaw toward his mouth.

Talon could look vicious when he wanted with his razor-sharp fangs and dark, fathomless eyes, and he looked it now as he said against Vegeta’s lips, “Sharpened my claws on his nethers.”

Vegeta laughed and his hips surged up against Talon’s crotch. His tail had already made its way down the back of Talon’s pants. He gasped, “You look exquisite, you know.”

“Thank you. I love remembering what I did to you when I picked this one out.”

“I rather like thinking about that too. It carried me through some lonely nights,” Vegeta said, curling up to kiss Talon hard.

Talon finished pulling Vegeta’s tank top off and Vegeta set to work on Talon’s buttons which set Talon to giggling. Vegeta used his abs to kiss down Talon’s neck and chest as he unwrapped Talon. His fingers made it to Talon’s fly, but once he unzipped Talon, Talon shimmied down Vegeta’s legs, yanking his pants down, reaching back to help Vegeta kick off his boots. 

Talon stepped off the bed and dropped into a squat. He sucked the ball of Vegeta’s ankle and grazed his fangs and tongue back up the inside of Vegeta’s leg, shoving them apart. 

“I hope you’re not thinking of sucking my cock without letting me suck yours in return, Talon,” Vegeta said.

“Baby, that is exactly what I was thinking of doing.”

“Mmm…don’t make me come down there and get those perfect hips of yours and turn you around.”

“Not today, Vegeta, I want to be able to savor your cock and I can’t do that when you turn me into a gibbering moron with the ridiculously good head you give.”

“Talon…” Vegeta groaned as Talon denied him and took one of Vegeta’s balls in his mouth, curling his tongue under it while he pulled and sucked on it. “Talon…fuck…please…let me…”

Talon moved to Vegeta’s other and said, “No, Vegeta, you be a good Captain and delegate. Let your soldier do the work.”

Vegeta’s body thrummed for his own release, but he wanted to pleasure Talon. He’d gotten off when opportunity arose on his mission, always fantasizing about Talon, so he didn’t want to come nearly as badly as he wanted to make Talon come. But Talon’s mouth was insistent and felt so good, the wet heat of it. Talon’s deep-throating truly defied understanding and Vegeta caressed his antennae as he pushed Vegeta back into that gripping heat. “Fuck… _minaiya_ …you aren’t going to have to suck me long…gods, I missed you so much.”

Talon brought his twisting hand up to the base of Vegeta’s cock, joining his mouth in a tight, up and down motion, giving Talon just enough space for his tongue to wind in tight, muscular circles around Vegeta’s tip, occasionally pushing delightfully into Vegeta’s slit. Talon moaned on him and Vegeta could see his hard-on straining under the turquoise silk. That pushed Vegeta over the edge and he gasped, “ _Minaiya,_ I’m coming…” still feeling strange coming in the blissful inferno of Talon’s mouth. But that didn’t stop him.

He sat up with the tensing of his muscles as his balls surged up, filling Talon’s mouth. Vegeta groaned and trailed his fingers over Talon’s skull and down into the collar of his unbuttoned shirt. An aftershock shook Vegeta as he touched Talon’s skin underneath his shirt. It turned Vegeta on when Talon took him half-clothed like this, like he couldn’t even get undressed before he needed to have Vegeta inside him, one way or another.

That did seem to be the case as Talon climbed onto the bed, half-shedding his pants, but not entirely, and staying on all fours as he rasped, “Fuck me now, baby, from behind. Sucking your dick always makes me so fucking hot. I need you. Now, now, now, Vegeta, I know you’re still hard!”

Vegeta spit in his hand, dropped his face to rim Talon wetly. Talon’s upper body fell to the bed and he reached back to spread himself, high-pitched cries coming out of him even as he pleaded, “Gods, Vegeta, oh gods, you rimming me is fucking heaven, but I also…gods, I didn’t even touch myself once while you were gone because I knew it would be so disappointing. I need you so badly.”

Vegeta stroked himself with more spit and thrust into Talon, gripping his perfect ass and opening Talon. They groaned together and Vegeta curled down over Talon, rutting on him like they were animals, and to even think such a thing made Vegeta’s belly twist with primal want. It clearly turned Talon on too because he wailed and came almost immediately, spattering the bed with cum, but begged, “Baby, please don’t stop, I couldn’t even hold out I was so excited from sucking you off…” Talon trailed off into breathy cries.

Vegeta spread his hand on Talon’s wiry, cut abdomen and pulled him back against Vegeta’s aggressive thrusts. He murmured, “Not too rough?”

“No, harder, harder, harder. Harder, please, deeper…” Talon nearly wept.

Vegeta spread his legs on either side of Talon’s, braced his other hand under Talon’s chest and pulled them both upright on their knees. He turned Talon over his shoulder to kiss Vegeta as Vegeta drove up into his _minaiya_. He pinched Talon’s nipple with the hand that wasn’t keeping Talon’s hips in place.

“Yes, baby, yes, fuck, yes!” Talon breathed and kissed Vegeta more, pushed himself back to meet Vegeta’s cock. Vegeta broke from the kiss to suck Talon’s neck, down onto his shoulder and back up. He moved his hand down onto Talon’s prick as Talon’s pleading reached new levels of franticness. Vegeta’s own climax was rising in him, he was only waiting for Talon to go. Talon groaned, “Set me off, baby, fill me up. Go first, Vegeta, please, I want to feel it.”

Vegeta roared, his abs tensing and curling them both over as he tucked his hips farther forward toward Talon’s release. Talon screamed, clinging to Vegeta’s head and neck with both hands up over his own shoulders. He breathed, “Fuck, yes, thank you, oh fuck, thank you, oh Vegeta, I love you. I missed you.”

Vegeta eased himself onto his back with Talon on top of him, still mostly dressed, and Vegeta’s half-hard cock stayed inside him. “Mmm…it’s good to be home, _minaiya_. It was hell without you that long. How have you been? Zarbon hasn’t come sniffing around again?”

“I’ve been pissed off that I can’t just have my boyfriend out in the open where I want him so that I could have talked to him the entire seventeen days he was gone. I’m not less pissed off now. But no, that creep didn’t bother me. Nobody has been bothering me, so I’m lonely. Not sexy-lonely, but a couple guys that I used to at least eat with and that sort of thing, are putting me off because they’re all afraid that my sugar-daddy will come after them, despite my assurances that he will not.”

“They don’t want to fuck you?”

“Not openly, in any case.”

“Tch. Well. I’m sorry…” Vegeta realized with horror that maybe this was Talon leading up to breaking off their exclusive arrangement. “I…Fuck. I don’t want you to be lonely, Talon, but I don’t think…I don’t think I could manage to share—“

Talon lurched into a sitting position, which made Vegeta’s cock slip out of him, which made Vegeta feel bereft. Talon wiggled out of his pants and his shirt as he stared into Vegeta’s eyes. “ _That’s_ what you took away from me being lonely? No. Just. Vegeta. No. I can’t even believe you’d think I want that. I don’t want anybody but you. Ever again, in all likelihood. So don’t be a dumbass. I’m just telling you how I felt. How I’ve been. Can’t I be honest with you even if it’s me pouting?”

Vegeta pulled Talon down to kiss him. Talon laid on his chest, slid his leg between Vegeta’s. “Yes, of course, _minaiya_ , I just feel guilty that I’m fucking up your life, when without me you could have a perfectly pleasant, normal life with normal relationships and friendships. I guess all my spoiling has been problematic. I never considered that people wouldn’t want to be _friends_ with you.”

“To be fair, I do think at least a couple had designs—hopeless designs—but designs nonetheless. So me having a boyfriend made them drop me. It’s a little depressing to realize maybe all my friends just wanted to fuck me. And…one of them…you’re going to be crabby. One of them is my ex.”

Vegeta flared a nostril and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Do you still feel anything for this worm of a man who didn’t even get you off properly?”

“No! Of course not! And he did get me off, just never internally.”

“You’re a bottom, Talon, he should be ashamed. But I’m not crabby. Unless you’re still interested in him, then I am.”

“No, there’s nothing between us. He’s just being a dick, saying I dumped him for financial gain.”

“That’s absurd. You had no idea I had money.”

“He has no idea who you are. He only knows I have new, very expensive jewelry—which, by the way, is considerably more expensive than I realized. No wonder you were worried about people taking it off me. The necklace probably cost more than I make in a year!”

“Oh definitely. I mean, I don’t know your exact salary, but I know the range.”

“How can you be so blithe about that!”

“Because you’re worth it, _minaiya_. I’d spend every last fleck on you. Millions and millions if it would give you even a little happiness.”

“Vegeta. No,” Talon said, but his eyes went wide. Vegeta liked shocking Talon with his wealth almost as much as he liked spending it on Talon. Talon shook his head, bent and kissed Vegeta. “But how are you, baby? How was the mission? Did you finish early just to come home to me?”

“I did. And I think I’ve put Raditz off with a rather elaborate ploy involving a whorehouse and more of my money.”

“Vegeta…” Talon groaned, “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? You’re basically setting money on fire to be with me,” as he curled into Vegeta’s arms.

“Yes. And I would, if that’s what it took. I’m so glad to be back. My next mission is thankfully shorter. And the next one too, so at least we have a bit until we have to endure that again. But gods it was so boring. The fucking worst. I hate that stupid lizard for doing this to me. I had a godsdamned army. Like I need an army to subdue a mid-sized planet with basic space-tech, but pathetic weaponry. Anyway, Raditz and Nappa were game to team up on me and beat the shit out of me so they could put me in the healing pod. So I’ve actually been home a little longer, but I had mostly broken bones, so I thought you’d prefer to see me as I am now.”

“Shit, Vegeta, why did they do that?” Talon asked and sat up.

“So I can get stronger. That’s how Saiyan biology works. We get huge jumps in power and strength when we almost die and recover. I need to do it more so I can be free sooner. Free you sooner.”

Talon’s brow furrowed deeply and he said, “Vegeta…Please don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t. I’m being careful. I won’t make my move until…until there’s either no other option or until I’m certain of victory.”

“Fucking hell. It terrifies me to think of you going against him. I’ve only met him a couple times, but he’s…he’s…He has no soul, Vegeta. He has no mercy. No kindness. No feeling of any kind.”

Vegeta rubbed his eyes and nodded. “Believe me, I know exactly what he is. I have no illusions about what will be required. If I can just…” Vegeta trailed off. He had almost told Talon of his plan with his fellow Saiyans, but aside from putting Talon in even more danger, Vegeta wasn’t sure telling his lover was a good idea, in case things went south. Which they very well might, given how much Vegeta was gone. And Talon was already lonely.

“If you can just what?” Talon said.

“Just keep getting stronger. It’s just disheartening how long it will take me to catch up to that fucking monster.”

“Can you? Do you really think you can defeat him, Vegeta?” Talon said, his eyes so hopeful and scared.

“If everything goes just right, then yes. I do.”

* * *

Vegeta and Talon found a rhythm to his traveling and their loving. They occasionally managed a tryst on base, Vegeta sneaking into Talon’s office on days that Talon worked when he was on break. Vegeta’s fourth mission since they’d gotten together was another short one, but more importantly, he and Talon had four days off at the same time. 

Vegeta, aside from having several new books for Talon, found an interesting bottle of wine and got his hands on a couple Namek delicacies that he thought Talon might enjoy, even if he had no love for his home planet. Talon had put his foot down that Vegeta could not buy him any more clothes, so Vegeta had resorted to food and books, since jewelry was also forbidden. It frustrated Vegeta that he couldn’t buy Talon a villa, purchase his freedom, and let him live in luxury with servants, fine food, and anything his heart desired. 

Vegeta wasn’t sure he even dared to dream of such a thing in their future. There were too many unknowns. Like whether Kakarot was even alive on Earth. Whether he was as powerful as Raditz thought, which Vegeta highly doubted. He thought all the talk of Kakarot’s third-class prowess was just to goad Vegeta. Raditz knew that Vegeta thought himself superior to Raditz. Even Nappa, who came from one of the higher class warrior families, was insignificant compared to Vegeta, and Nappa was considerably more powerful than Raditz. So living a normal life, having anything resembling a normal relationship with Talon seemed absurdly far-fetched. But a small part of Vegeta clung to that fantasy.

Vegeta’s heart had been more achey than usual with his love for Talon and he knew that his body wanted to mate and denying it and his tail was making him literally lovesick. The sickness resulted in Vegeta being rather more romantic than he thought was appropriate for a ruthless Saiyan warrior. But all his denial was tied up with his body and tail, none left for his sentimentality.

He set up candles all around the bed and the bath. Even though Talon gave him shit, Vegeta knew he liked the bubble bath, so he got a new type every time they were together. He’d also gotten some restraints, wanting to tie Talon up. Maybe be tied up in turn if Talon was game. Not that anything would hold Vegeta, but he liked the spirit of the charade. And Talon usually enjoyed a good excuse to use his acting talents. The chi restraints had been hot on their first holiday, but Vegeta thought there had been a whiff of nervousness coming off Talon that wouldn’t be there with some leather cuffs lined with padded silk. Talon could destroy these restraints if he chose.

Vegeta attached them to the bed and heard Talon unlock the door. He waved chi around to light all the candles. It was just after sunset, so the room looked very inviting. Very sexy. Then Vegeta leaned against a wall, in the shadows, crossing his arms after throwing off his tank top.

Talon’s eyes glittered in the candlelight and he looked at the bed. Vegeta saw his eyes find the restraints and a little nervous smile played on his lips. He called, “Vegeta?” as he closed the door behind himself. Even as the word left his lips, he spotted Vegeta. He breathed, “Damn, you never get any less sexy…”

Vegeta swaggered over to Talon and pulled him toward Vegeta by his belt as he unbuckled it. “Mmm…you’re not one to talk, _minaiya_ , did you get ogled your entire walk here?”

“Maybe. Will it piss you off or make you happy if I got checked out constantly leaving base?”

“Depends, did you flirt with any of them?”

“Does smiling count as flirting? I know it does for you, because you hardly ever smile, my sweet, grumpy Saiyan, but you know I can’t help it.”

“I know. But that smile of yours does things to a man, soldier, you have to wield it carefully,” Vegeta said, kissing the aforementioned smile as it spread on Talon’s lips.

“Mmm…I can’t help but smile when I’m coming to see you, Captain. Can’t stop smiling once I’m with you,” Talon wrapped his slender arms around Vegeta and kissed him more. “What does it do to you, Captain? Anything I can help you with?”

Vegeta grinned and rolled his hips against Talon’s. “I think you know exactly what your smile does to me, soldier.”

Talon kissed him more and shoved his pants down, when he started to drop to his knees though, Vegeta seized him by the ass and carried him to the bed. “Not today, _minaiya_ , it’s like you’re on a quest to blow me the minute you get my pants off every time I see you.”

Talon pouted and said, “Do you not like it?”

“I love it, but do you? Because it’s starting to feel like you’re just…distracting me. Do you not want to have sex? We can do other things if that’s the issue. If you’re trying to put me off. Are you sore? Or just not in the mood?”

Talon laughed merrily. “No, Vegeta, none of those things. I love blowing you, it’s like the only time I get to prioritize your pleasure. Otherwise everything is about me, and it makes me feel like a dick. And a diva. Even if it also feels amazing.”

Vegeta laid Talon on the bed and straddled him, pinning him down. “Well, then, _minaiya_ , let me prioritize my pleasure in a different way today. And don’t feel like a dick, for fuck’s sake, I love pleasuring you, it’s my favorite thing.”

“Vegeta,” Talon said and looked nervous as he continued, “I’m…I’m not a top.”

“I’m not going to ask you to fuck me, Talon, I’m just restraining you while I undress you.” Talon’s face was hard for Vegeta to read so he whispered, “Do you want to fuck me?”

“No…I mean…I feel like an asshole saying I don’t want to fuck you, but you know what I mean, right? I’m just not like that. I wouldn’t even know what to do.”

“I know, _minaiya_ , that’s why I won’t ask you.”

“But you want me to?”

“Yes, I do. But it’s fine that you don’t want to. I don’t want you to do things you don’t want to do. It would be like if you were into BDSM and you wanted me to hit you, I couldn’t do it. It just wouldn’t work for me. And I’d be sad that I couldn’t bring you that pleasure, but that’s not my thing.”

Talon gave him a weak smile and said, “Well, I am very much _not_ into BDSM, so you’re safe. I’m sorry that I’m not a top.”

Vegeta shucked Talon’s pants and pulled Talon’s hips up, spreading his cheeks. He dragged his tongue over Talon’s pucker, wide and flat and hungry and Talon gasped. Vegeta whispered, his breath blowing across the wet path he’d just made, “I’m not. I love fucking you, Talon, and I am very much a top. I just feel…safe…with you. Only ever with you.”

“I’m glad, baby…” Talon said, looking into Vegeta’s eyes.

Vegeta had never tried touching Talon’s taint again after their holiday, but since then, he thought he’d maybe begun to understand why Talon was nervous about it. Now, rimming Talon basically upside down, Talon’s balls shifted enough that Vegeta could see on the testicle end of his taint, almost hidden, a slit, only five or six centimeters long, and it was barely visible. It looked like a scar. But Vegeta suspected it wasn't a scar. He didn’t know anything about Namek biology except that they were hot as hell, but Vegeta _did_ know that he had never once seen a female Namek. Or at least one that looked outwardly female. Of course Nameks weren’t placental mammals, so maybe the women just didn’t have breasts, but he suspected that they were a hermaphroditic species.

That did however beg the question of why Talon chose to fuck in his ass exclusively, if he had a sexual orifice, but Vegeta didn’t want to embarrass his beloved, or put him on the spot. Maybe Talon just preferred anal, or had had a bad experience with the other. Vegeta supposed it didn’t matter, he loved Talon and their lovemaking just as it was. It mainly bothered Vegeta that Talon didn’t feel comfortable enough with Vegeta to at least tell him what it was. Vegeta hoped with time he would. But then Vegeta thought about what he was keeping from Talon and felt like a hypocrite.

Talon struggled against him and he looked up, “What’s wrong?”

“We’re prioritizing your pleasure, remember?” Talon growled and flipped Vegeta onto his back and buckled one of the cuffs around Vegeta’s wrist. He gave Vegeta a stern look as he fastened the other and said, “No escaping,” as he trailed his elegant forefinger down Vegeta’s sternum.

“Talon—“

“Quiet, Captain, you’re mine now.”

“Talon—“

Talon twisted Vegeta’s legs and slapped his ass fairly hard. It startled Vegeta. But he didn’t dislike it. “I said, quiet!” Talon barked, but he could barely keep from smiling.

He shoved Vegeta’s legs up beside his torso and Vegeta started dripping pre-cum he was so excited because he thought Talon had changed his mind about fucking Vegeta. But he pushed harder until Vegeta’s ass was in the air, spread open, and his excitement turned to nervousness.

“What are you—“

Talon smacked his ass again. “Not another word, Captain, or I’ll gag you.”

Vegeta’s heart raced. He had never been rimmed and it looked like that was what Talon had in mind. Vegeta didn’t even know if he _wanted_ to be rimmed, his stomach fluttered with nerves and he considered telling Talon no, but it was clear Talon wanted to be in charge and was annoyed that Vegeta had refused the blow job. Vegeta feared that saying no to a rim-job would hurt Talon’s feelings. 

Talon kissed down Vegeta’s ass cheek and the back of his thigh, curling awkwardly over Vegeta’s ass in the air to kiss his mouth before kissing up his other thigh and cheek. Vegeta groaned as Talon kissed all around the base of Vegeta’s tail as his tail wrapped around Talon’s waist and flicked its tip along the underside of Talon’s prick. 

Talon murmured, “You naughty thing, trying to keep me from focusing on him…shoo, go on, you can have your fun later…”

It annoyed Vegeta that his tail was significantly more obedient to Talon than to its owner. It curled up off Talon’s cock and rubbed on his belly. Talon kissed all over Vegeta’s ass, but didn’t go near his opening. The suspense was making Vegeta tense and almost frantic feeling. He wanted to please Talon, but he didn’t really want to do this. He felt powerless and vulnerable and scared.

“Vegeta…relax…I’m not going to hurt you…I’m going to take care of you…” Talon murmured between kisses. Vegeta said nothing, trying his best to be obedient. “Baby, I mean it, let me love you. Don’t freak out. You’ve never done this?” Vegeta shook his head. Talon caressed his ass and continued kissing, but looked down into Vegeta’s eyes. “You can speak, Captain, because I want some direction if this is your first time. But don’t tell me not to just because you’re nervous, okay?”

Vegeta’s breathing was so fast he thought he might pass out. “Talon…I…I don’t think…”

“Baby, shh…” Talon’s fiery tongue grazed Vegeta’s asshole and he gasped. Talon deepened the kiss, the wet heat making Vegeta groan. Talon’s mouth moved over him like he was trying to taste every micrometer of Vegeta, then dragged up his taint, sucking each testicle before trailing back onto Vegeta’s pucker.

Vegeta gasped and moaned and tried to hold still. He felt close to tears with the strange new pleasure, but it felt like torture since he knew Talon wasn’t going to fuck him or even finger him. He choked out, “Talon…I…please…please…”

“What, baby? Please, what?” Talon murmured against Vegeta’s electrically sensitive, damp skin.

“I need you, Talon, please…Please ride me…”

“Not yet, baby…not yet…I want to eat a little more of your perfect ass…”

Vegeta writhed underneath Talon’s mouth. His tongue was as insanely coordinated and magical on Vegeta’s ass as it was on his dick. Vegeta had never wished Talon was anything but what he was, but in that moment, he wished Talon had a tiny bit of top in him, because that was what Vegeta wanted. He wanted so powerfully to have something inside him that he considered asking Talon if he could at least finger himself. But Vegeta wasn’t brave enough to do that, let alone ask his partner if he’d _let_ Vegeta do it.

“So tense again, baby, shh…haven’t I taken care of you?”

“Yes, I just…I just need you…I can’t handle anymore…” Vegeta choked out.

Talon met his eyes and lowered Vegeta’s ass back down to the bed. “Vegeta…baby…” Talon said, his eyebrows furrowing, and he lubed Vegeta quickly and sank down on him. Talon’s eyelids fluttered with pleasure and Vegeta kicked at the bed as he drove up into Talon. It brought Vegeta some relief from his unwelcome desire to be fucked, but his face must’ve betrayed him. Talon whispered, “I’m sorry, baby, I’m sorry…” as he caressed Vegeta’s chest, surging up and down more aggressively. 

Vegeta said nothing, but focused on not immediately destroying the restraints. But he turned away from Talon because he still felt on the verge of tears. But Talon never let Vegeta hide from him. He tipped Vegeta’s face back to his and kissed him as he murmured, “I’m sorry, baby…I meant for it to feel good…”

Vegeta nodded, closing his eyes, and he managed to say, “It did…it really did…”

Talon finished riding him and Vegeta felt some relief coming inside his _minaiya_. As Talon unbuckled the cuffs, Vegeta felt even more ashamed of himself. Talon touched his face and said, his eyebrows scrunched together. “Vegeta, what is happening right now? I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do something you didn’t want me to do.”

“No, Talon…it was fine. It felt great.”

“Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

“It was just…intense.”

“Okay…I won’t do it again. Unless you ask. But know that I love doing it, okay? I want to pleasure you, Vegeta, you know that, right?”

“Of course I do. I know that, Talon. I’m sorry. I’m a fucking mess.”

“Why won’t you tell me what’s actually going on?”

Vegeta covered his face. “Gods…because I’m ashamed of myself…”

“Why? You don’t need to be ashamed about anything with me, baby. What’s going on?”

“Look, I don’t want to make you feel bad, but I don’t…it’s hard…when you do that, I just…it makes me want to get fucked, okay? And I know you don’t want that, and I don’t want to pressure you, so let’s just…let’s not. Okay?”

Talon’s face collapsed. “Oh. Okay.”

“Talon…please don’t be upset.”

“I just feel guilty that I can’t do that for you…Maybe…I don’t know…should we bring in a third?”

“What?!? No! Fuck! No! I’m not sharing you and I don’t want anyone else. I would never let anyone else fuck me, Talon. I’ll be fine, but I can’t…I can’t do what we just did. But not because it wasn’t amazing, that’s…I just want you to understand why I don’t want it.”

“Okay,” Talon said, looking shrunken and chastised.

“Fuck,” Vegeta breathed, holding his face in his hands. 

Talon pulled them off and kissed him. “I really am sorry, Vegeta…”

“Don’t be sorry, Talon, I’m fine. It’s okay.”

“I am though, I feel like I’m letting you down.”

“You’re not. Really. I love you, _minaiya_ ,” Vegeta murmured and pulled Talon into his arms for a kiss. “I’m sorry I killed the mood.”

Talon shook his head and slid Vegeta’s hand down onto his prick with a little laugh. “You didn’t.”

Vegeta smiled against Talon’s cheek and kissed him softly. “Well, not entirely, anyway…You did promise my tail that it would get to have fun later…” Vegeta’s tail coiled around Talon’s cock. “Just kiss me, _minaiya_ , don’t be sad.”

“You’re not mad?” Talon said, holding Vegeta’s tail still, stopping it from stroking him.

“No, not mad. I’m never mad at you, Talon…”

Talon sat up and looked down at Vegeta, his face serious and concerned. “Vegeta. That is not a healthy attitude. You can be mad at me and still love me. You know that, right?”

Vegeta sighed. He hated having feelings. They were so complicated and he could never control them or bend them to his will and it seemed no matter how strong he got, he would always have this weakness. “But I’m not mad.”

Talon growled and said, “I’m risking a lot to be with you, and you’re risking a lot to be with me, and I…it’s not some fluffy fuckbuddy situation for me. I’m…I’m serious about you, about us. I want to be together, and I’m willing to wait as long as it takes, or to do the best we can as we are, but I’m not just…just…just…passing through. And we can’t make this work longterm if you try to stifle when you’re upset with me. You can be upset or angry or irritated and still love me with all your heart. I can feel those things too, and believe me, I do. You can be a frustrating man to love, Vegeta, but it _never_ means I love you less.”

“Okay, okay, I promise to have feelings, Talon. Gods, haven't you made me have enough feelings with all the love and infatuation and adoration and need and constant longing? I can only handle so many fucking feelings! I’m not mad, alright? I’m disappointed, but not at you, it’s not as if you choose to feel as you do any more than I do. I know you would fuck me if you could. I know that. But I’m not mad.”

Talon’s face softened and he bent to kiss Vegeta, releasing Vegeta’s tail, letting it get back to tail-fucking his dick. “Oh, baby, I love it when you’re unintentionally romantic while being all grumpy and surly. It’s so cute.”

“I’m not cute!”

“You are too,” Talon said, kissing him more deeply. “Now will you get your cute ass between these green thighs, and fuck me before your tail gets me off?”

Vegeta grinned and rolled Talon onto his back, thrusting inside him and gripping his hip. He kissed Talon savagely and drove into him harder and harder. “See if you think I’m cute after I pound your tight little ass until you beg me to stop,” Vegeta growled.

“I never want you to stop, baby, never,” Talon groaned and held onto Vegeta’s ass.

* * *

The next morning after breakfast and a frisky shower, Vegeta finally thought the cloud of Talon’s shame at Vegeta’s disappointment the night before had dissipated. Vegeta was reading while Talon dozed on his chest, or Vegeta thought he was dozing until Talon’s hand slid down his belly, right onto his prick, and grabbed it, moving his hand up and down aggressively.

“Oh! You’re awake…”

“Vegeta…do you…do you want to be with me?” Talon said, kissing Vegeta’s belly and muffling his voice.

“Of course, _minaiya_ , I thought I’d made that pretty clear with my quest to escape slavery and free you as well.”

“You’re not just saying that to make it less intolerable that we hardly ever get to be together?”

“What? I’m with you every spare moment I can be!” Vegeta said, moving so he could look into Talon’s eyes.

“Yeah, I know, but I want to be with you every day, every night. You know what I mean. Don’t you miss me when we’re apart?”

“Gods, Talon, yes, every second.”

Talon pulled Vegeta into a kiss. Vegeta tossed his book aside and they adjusted so Vegeta was above him, kissing and kissing until he couldn’t think of anything but how much he loved Talon’s mouth, his taste, the sweet heat of him. Talon grabbed Vegeta’s hand and pulled it down and Vegeta thought he was going to have Vegeta stroke his prick, but he took it farther, onto his balls. Talon sometimes put Vegeta’s hand on his asshole when he wanted to be fingered, so Vegeta expected that this time. But then Talon stopped, moving his testicles.

Vegeta’s pulse skyrocketed, thumping in his ears like he was about to go into battle with Frieza. The scar-like slit was underneath Talon’s balls. Talon held Vegeta’s hand from behind and dragged Vegeta’s fingertips up the subtle cleft. Talon shivered and whispered, “I…this…I’ve never…” and pushed Vegeta’s fingers, using a lot of pressure, against the slit until it opened, plunging three of Vegeta’s fingers into an inferno of velvety softness that gripped his fingers as tightly as Talon’s ass.

Soft, pulsating light spread out under Talon’s skin, starting around the slit opening and spreading until his entire body glowed. Vegeta marveled at his lover’s bioluminescence and kissed along Talon’s shining body. The soft, fur-like interior meant Vegeta’s fingers slid without lube, almost like they moved his fingers, helping them in and out as Talon writhed. 

Talon took his hand off of Vegeta’s and held Vegeta’s jaw, kissing him more. He gasped, “If you fuck me there, you have to come inside me…”

Vegeta murmured, “Won’t that get you pregnant?”

Talon froze and his eyes snapped open. “You…you knew?”

“Knew what?” Vegeta asked, restraining his hand’s movement and his hips with some difficulty.

“I thought you’d never been with a Namek?”

Vegeta was taken aback by the anger in Talon’s voice. “What? I haven’t!”

“Then how do you know that?”

“Know what?” Vegeta asked, even more confused by Talon’s accusation.

“That I can get pregnant! I’m a guy!” Talon snapped.

“But…I mean…can’t you? Isn’t this where you mate with males?” Vegeta said, searching Talon’s eyes.

“Yes! But how do you know that?!” Talon shoved Vegeta’s hand out of himself, his thighs snapping shut.

Vegeta felt bereft. He stared into Talon’s eyes as he said, “I didn’t, but I’d noticed the slit, I had my suspicions, and now that I know it’s another entrance to your body, I assumed it’s for mating. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, Talon, I just don’t want to impregnate you without talking about it, for fuck’s sake!”

Talon’s eyes were wet. “So you’ve never touched someone else’s _theadur_?”

“What? I’ve never touched any part of any Namek before, except you. Is that what it’s called? I really am sorry, did you not want me to touch it? I thought…didn’t you…isn’t that why you put my hand there? I’m really confused about what’s happening right now,” Vegeta said, feeling helpless and awkward as he never had with Talon.

Talon relaxed. “So you were just guessing?”

“Yes, you’re certainly not the first hermaphrodite I’ve been with. Just the first one that preferred anal over using their mating orifice.”

“Ew. I hate the word orifice.”

“Well, I don’t know the names of the ones I fucked before…Look, never mind, I don’t want to talk about other people I’ve fucked in various places. I want to talk about why you’re upset.”

Talon looked spooked. “It’s just…I…I’ve never let anyone touch me there. I’ve never even told anyone I have it. It’s…It’s pretty…special…amongst Nameks. It’s not a thing you do lightly. I didn’t do it lightly. I want you to be the one. The only one.”

Vegeta’s eyebrows rose. He had long wanted Talon to be his only, but Talon had never explicitly said that he wanted the same. Vegeta didn’t know whether Nameks mated for life or pair-bonded, or just bred and moved on. “Talon, I want that too, if I can free us. But I think it’s a bad idea to get pregnant. I can’t keep you safe right now, let alone protect you and our child. Frieza would murder all three of us the moment he got wind of it.”

Talon’s tears spilled over. “But maybe…maybe someday?”

Vegeta kissed him deeply. “Yes. If I can free us. But I can pull out until then, if you still want it.”

“No. You can’t pull out,” Talon said, shaking his head as tears dripped out of the corner of his eyes.

“Why not?”

“You just can’t. It’s all or nothing fucking a _theadur_.”

“Okay…I’m sorry, Talon. I wish I could keep you safe.”

“I know, Vegeta,” Talon said, but took his hand and pushed it back inside the burning tunnel. “Fuck, it feels better than I dreamed it would feel to have you touch me here…” Talon gasped and arched toward Vegeta’s hand.

Vegeta thrust his fingers deeper and harder into Talon until he quivered, clinging to Vegeta and kissing him, breaking only occasionally to whisper, “Holy fuck…holy fuck…holy fuck…”

Talon suddenly bashed his hips against Vegeta’s hand, clutching at Vegeta’s arm and holding it in place. Vegeta cried out as the muscles inside Talon clenched down on him in a strange, erotic rippling motion. He groaned imagining his cock inside that heat, that tight powerful grip. Talon’s cock splattered him with cum and Talon wailed, more tears streaming out of his eyes as he arched up even farther. Vegeta whispered, “Gods, Talon, you feel incredible…come for me, _minaiya_ , my beloved. Come so hard…”

The orgasm seemed to last forever and it was like Talon’s _theadur_ called to Vegeta’s prick because he had never felt so compelled to fuck anyone in his entire life. After catching his breath for a long moment once his spasms subsided, Talon gasped out, “Sweet gods, Vegeta, that…I…that was amazing. I might just die of pleasure if you ever get to fuck me that way.”

“That’s not very good incentive for me to fuck you that way, my beloved.”

“I’ve never done that. I mean. I have, by myself, but even that, only a couple times. And it was nothing like what you just did to me. Holy shit.” Talon’s chest heaved and tears streamed out the corners of his eyes, which were wide and searching Vegeta. “I love you, Vegeta. I love you so much,” he gasped, and pulled Vegeta down to his mouth.

Talon kissed Vegeta over onto his back and took Vegeta in his ass, groaning and riding him hard as he whispered, “I can’t live without you, Vegeta. I can’t. You’re my only. My only ever. _Atheanna._ ”

“I love you too, _minaiya_. I want to free us. I want to save us. I want to be with you. Keep you safe.”

“Oh, _atheanna_ , it’s torture to be without you so often. Gods how I miss you when you’re gone. I want to be with you always. I want to be yours.”

“You are, Talon. You are, _minaiya_ ,” Vegeta whispered and sat up, holding Talon and kissing him, seeing more tears drip out of his love. He kissed his cheeks and brushed them away before squeezing Talon tightly as they made slow, sweet love, Vegeta trying, and failing, to comfort Talon . It was as if his love knew how slim Vegeta’s chances were, how unlikely it was that they could ever actually be together and free. Vegeta’s own tears startled him as he buried his face in Talon’s neck. Even though his doom hadn’t yet arrived, Vegeta could see it, dragging him inexorably toward it like a black hole.


	7. The End of Forever

Vegeta’s mind became a binary: it thought of Talon or it thought of freedom—escape from Frieza—which looped it back to Talon. Vegeta couldn’t see a way forward that didn’t risk Talon’s life and he would do anything—even the most awful thing he could imagine—to keep Talon safe.

Raditz grew more suspicious and impatient daily. Vegeta’s whoring story no longer put him off and a whole new layer of sneakiness and wariness had become a part of his interactions with Talon. On the rare occasions they made love on base, in a hidden utility closet or in Talon’s locked office, Talon had to sternly command Vegeta’s tail to stay off him, which was agony for all three of them. All Vegeta wanted was to have Talon with him all the time. It got to the point that Vegeta seriously considered begging for Frieza’s blessing just to be done with his constant anxiety for Talon’s safety and his own painful longing to mate with Talon. It was no wonder Raditz was suspicious.

“We can’t afford to wait any longer, Vegeta,” Raditz growled, no more ‘Prince’ now, “It’s been a year since we discovered Kakarot’s whereabouts. We need to move. You said you could get us on a mission just the three of us. When do you intend to do that? I’m fucking sick of you dragging your feet. Nappa and I are mated and have been, we want to get on with our lives. What is the fucking hold up?”

“I’m not strong enough, Raditz, you insolent motherfucker! You couldn’t even land a punch, so stop harassing me! I train whenever I can do it without drawing attention. He has people watching me, you fool. I have to be careful to seem nonchalant about it.”

“My brother is all we need!”

“How fucking dare you!? You need _me_ , and aside from that, I’m your fucking _ruler_. You’ll do as I say or I’ll end Nappa,” Vegeta hissed, baring his teeth.

Raditz looked stricken, his eyebrows shooting up and his skin going pale. “You—you—you fucking monster!”

“Look, I don’t _want_ to do that, obviously, you’re the last of my kin, but…I don’t know how else to bring you in line!”

Raditz brought his towering form over Vegeta. “I may be weaker than you, _sire_ , but I will fight until every last drop of my blood is spilled before I’ll let you touch him.”

Vegeta was unfazed. Part of him considered just telling Raditz that he’d found a mate and that they needed to change the plan to include him somehow, but if their plot failed, which it very well might, Raditz might be captured and tortured, leading them to Talon.

Vegeta said, trying to placate his co-conspirator, “I know. I know. That was a low blow. I would never actually do that to either of you. A couple more months, okay? Zarbon knows nothing yet. That sniveling Cui is a bigger threat. He’s always smirking about, so watch your words around everyone, he has far more friends and minions than Zarbon. He wants to usurp my position, that pathetic shit.”

Raditz growled, “Two months. I’ll give you two fucking months and we beat you nearly to death every single fucking chance we get. Every mission at the very least.”

“Yes, fine. Very well,” Vegeta grumbled, nearly in tears. How would he tell Talon? Worse, how would he ever leave Talon?

* * *

“Baby? Where are you tonight?” Talon whispered, kissing Vegeta’s ear.

“Hmm?” Vegeta said, trying to work up his nerve.

“You’re not with me, and given how little we’re actually together, I wish you’d be with me when we are together,” Talon said, kissing him more, caressing his body. That touch was all Vegeta lived for. That kiss. And yet.

Vegeta stared into Talon’s eyes and decided to begin what had to be done. He couldn’t risk Talon’s life any more than he already had. There was no way Vegeta would be strong enough to defeat Frieza in two months and if Talon left with Raditz, Nappa, and Vegeta, the jig would be up—Talon never left base. All his enemies suspicions would be aroused and the Ginyu Force or Zarbon would be dispatched to bring them all to heel. Vegeta needed Kakarot and some serious dedicated time off the grid to train, only then could he challenge Frieza. Maybe. And if that happened, then he could find Talon again and plead for his forgiveness…Maybe. Talon might forgive him. Maybe. Assuming Vegeta survived at all.

There were too many maybes. It was unbearable.

“Baby? Are you okay?” Talon sat up from where he’d been curled on Vegeta’s chest.

“Gods, Talon, can’t a man rest in quiet without a fucking inquisition?” Vegeta said, deliberately making his voice cutting and caustic, venomous. He closed his eyes tightly so he didn’t cry.

Talon shrank away from him as if Vegeta had slapped him. “Vegeta…are you upset with me?”

Vegeta sighed dramatically, rolled his eyes, and scrubbed his hands over his face. He didn’t want to hurt Talon, it made him nauseous, but he didn’t know what else to do. “No. Why?”Vegeta said, his voice still cold.

Talon’s eyes scrunched up with hurt. “Then what’s going on?”

“I’m just fucking tired.”

“Okay. We can go to sleep. Gods, normally you like staying up late the first night we’re together. You don’t need to be so hostile, baby.”

“Don’t be so godsdamned sensitive, Talon.”

Talon got out of bed and went to the bathroom. Vegeta heard him shower, probably cleaning off Vegeta’s scent and the cum so he could leave.

Vegeta’s eyes watered. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t be mean to his love. But he had to be mean. He had to cure Talon of Vegeta. He needed Talon to want to leave him. Because otherwise Vegeta might not have the strength to leave his _minaiya_. Saiyans did not leave their _minaiyas._ His heart and his tail carried him into the bathroom, into the shower.

He kissed Talon softly, kissed his love’s eyelids as they closed tightly. He tried to turn away from Vegeta to hide his reddened eyes. “I’m sorry, _minaiya_ , I’m sorry. It was a shitty mission. A shitty day. I’m sorry I took it out on you.”

Talon’s eyes were so sad as he whispered, “You’ve never been mean to me before when you’ve had shitty missions.”

“I’m sorry,” Vegeta whispered again, his tail wrapping around Talon’s thigh. Vegeta wished Talon had never fallen for Vegeta so Vegeta wouldn’t have this power over him.

“Okay, baby, okay,” Talon murmured and kissed him, but he finished showering without touching Vegeta. He climbed into bed and rebuffed Vegeta’s advances. Even when Vegeta tried to simply cuddle, Talon was rigid and unreceptive, keeping his legs so tightly together that Vegeta’s tail couldn’t even wrap around his thigh as it always did when they slept. Vegeta’s stubborn will barely clung to his dry eyes.

Vegeta couldn’t sleep as his mind ran in frantic circles. He shouldn’t have apologized, although he thought maybe erratic behavior would push Talon away faster than anything. He stiffened his resolve to make Talon hate him. It was the only way. He needed Talon to hate him so Talon would be okay after Vegeta left. Vegeta’s tail ached at the thought. It slinked over Talon, clinging to him even if it couldn’t wrap around his thigh.

Talon pulled it up to his face in the darkness and Vegeta felt Talon’s tears as he snuffled Vegeta’s tail, and kissed it.

Vegeta was truly irritable by morning from lack of sleep, but also from the horror of what he was forced to do to his _minaiya_ , not to mention the constant throbbing pain that treatment caused in his tail. To torture his life, his heart, his joy, it was torture for Vegeta too. Every ounce of his energy was bent toward not crying as he imagined treating Talon poorly that day and the next after they’d been apart for eight days.

But after grumpily interacting through breakfast, Talon showered again, this time locking the bathroom door, and then packed his things in silence. “I don’t know what I’ve done to piss you off enough that you’re treating me this way, but when you’re ready to tell me, let me know. When you’re ready to act like an adult. I guess maybe I’ll see you next break, which doesn’t line up, by the way, so I hope you’re happy you fucked this one up. Bye, Vegeta,” Talon said, tears brimming, but never falling.

“Oh, come on, seriously? You’re leaving because I’m a little crabby? Surely you haven’t had enough of my prick yet?”

Talon’s face was disgusted. “Wow. Well. I’ve certainly had enough of you _being_ a prick. Crabby is your godsdamned baseline, Vegeta, this isn’t crabbiness. You’re being deliberately mean to me, but fuck if I know why. Sometimes I know how I’ve pissed you off, but this is bullshit. I haven’t _done_ anything and I didn’t even pout last night like I sometimes do after you’ve been gone a long time—“

Vegeta interrupted with a forced sneer, “Every time, not sometimes. What would you call last night if you weren’t pouting?”

“See? Holy shit. I’ll see you later.” Talon said with wide eyes and disbelieving laughter.

“So you’re coming back later?” Vegeta said casually, wanting Talon to leave now so he could cry.

“Do you _want_ me to come back later? Because you’re not acting like you want me to come back ever.”

“Well, I hardly got laid at all—“

“Oh, fuck you, fuck yourself!” Talon said and slammed the door behind himself.

Vegeta burst into tears and curled up on the bed, buried his face in Talon’s pillow both to smell his love and to smother the sound of his sobs so Talon wouldn’t hear. Talon’s wounded expression was etched into Vegeta’s retinas making his tail feel like it was on fire.

Despite himself, he stayed in their room all that day and alone that night. When the lock clicked the next morning, he mustered all his Saiyan resolve and cruelty to push Talon away another day.

Talon leaned back against the door, his lips rolling in as he scrunched his eyes tightly closed for a minute. He said, “I’m not staying, but do…” he trailed off, swallowing his tears, “Could you please tell me what I’ve done so I can remedy the situation before your next break? And for the record, I cannot think of a more immature way to handle whatever your grievance with me is. Is this because I rimmed you last time? I thought it was okay? You said it was okay. Were you mad that I didn’t fuck you—“

“I don’t want you to fuck me anymore, Talon. I’m over that.”

“Then what the fuck has made you this upset? You look terrible, like you haven’t slept in days.”

“Yes, it’s normally more fun when I’m up all night.”

This almost teasing response seemed to confuse Talon further. He closed his pretty eyes again and shook his head. “I have no idea what the fuck is going on here. Do you want to see me next break or not?”

“If you want. You’re the one walking out this break,” Vegeta said with a shrug, his nose burning with tears.

A little snort of bitter laughter escaped Talon. “Are you…are you just sick of me? Last break was so great…I…what...”

Vegeta’s heart shattered into a billion jagged shards, ripping up everything inside him. “I think you’re just being overly sensitive,” Vegeta said. He reclined on the bed and smirked. He continued, “Why don’t you stay?”

Talon gaped. A tear escaped, but he wiped it quickly away, it wasn’t for show. “You…we…we’ve been together almost a year. Vegeta, how…how can you do this to me? I thought we were…” Talon trailed off, his eyes searching the ground. His hand flew to his mouth and he swallowed hard.

Vegeta swallowed too—swallowed the vomit that rose in his throat at what he was about to say. He let out a bark of cruel laughter. “All told we’ve probably been together a couple months, Talon, don’t flatter yourself.”

Talon fled, never even looking back.

Vegeta intended to go back to base for the rest of the day, but he couldn’t recover. He sobbed all day, replaying what he’d done over and over until he actually threw up. The hurt he’d caused Talon filled him with even more than his usual self-loathing. By nightfall he managed to stop crying and crept back to base.

* * *

By the next break they had that lined up, Vegeta’s mind had almost justified begging Talon’s forgiveness now and staying with him to the bitter end, disappearing without explanation to save himself the visceral nature of Talon’s suffering. He bought Talon a shirt on his way to their rooms, even though he hadn’t spoken to Talon since his cruel words their last break. He knew the shirt would do little to undo the pain he’d caused Talon, but he thought maybe he could explain it away with the truth: that he’d been faking his cruelty to drive Talon away for his own good. But Talon hated when he was patronizing that way. Which was reasonable.

But it seemed like it would all be moot because it was full dark, all three moons obscured by clouds, and still Talon didn’t come to their room. Everything had been so good between them that Vegeta was sure his sudden hostile villainy was even more confusing for poor Talon. As it got later, Vegeta despaired. If Talon left him, that was the best thing that could possibly happen, but the thought of not saying goodbye properly broke Vegeta and he started to sob again, something he did far too frequently these days. Now he used the hidden utility closets on base for tears, not sweet lovemaking with his _minaiya_ , quiet moments to be tender with one another without witnesses or security cameras.

The snick of the lock jolted Vegeta up out of the curled up mess he was on the bed. He tried to control himself, to seem casual, but he knew his eyes were bloodshot and wet.

Talon slipped inside the door, obviously steeling himself for more of Vegeta’s insults. He said, sounding defeated and not even meeting Vegeta’s eyes, “I can just get my stuff, if you want,” he choked up, “Is there…oh gods…is there someone else?”

Vegeta laughed bitterly. “No. Definitely not, Talon. So you’re not staying?”

“I don’t know. Are you just going to be mean again? Are you still pissed off?” A tear escaped and Talon obviously hated that it had, he hid his face under the guise of scratching his forehead.

“I was never pissed off. I’ve never been pissed at you. Only myself.”

“So you were expressing your self-hatred at me? I wish you’d just love yourself as I do,” Talon said, walking toward Vegeta. He was wearing his silver suit and he looked gorgeous. 

Vegeta’s resolve crumbled again and he buried his face in Talon’s shoulder, “I love you too much, there’s none left for anyone else.”

“Then why, Vegeta? You made me feel like shit. You said some really terrible shit. Shit that was too…too close to the truth for me to unhear.”

Vegeta nodded. “I’m sorry. I have no excuse except that I’m an asshole.” Vegeta’s tail wrapped tightly around Talon’s hand.

Talon held it tenderly, but let it go as he stepped away and moved around the room gather things and putting them in his bag. “When you’re ready to tell me the truth, I’ll stay.”

“That is the truth.”

“You’ve been an asshole all along, Vegeta, but never to me! Never once, even at the start before we became…became…” Sobs erupted out of Talon and he collapsed on the bed, “Before you became my _atheanna_ …I thought…I thought…I thought I was your _minaiya_? I guess I should’ve known it was just a line when you wouldn’t mate with me. Fucking Nappa and Raditz love each other more than you love me…Gods, I’m such a fucking idiot. I bought your ‘not-while-I’m-a-slave’ bullshit. I ate it up like a fucking dung beetle. Fuck!” Talon gasped out between sobs so wracking he was almost gagging.

“You only wanted to mate because you saw their marks—“

“You fucker! How dare you say that to me! I want to be with you forever! I told you that well before I even knew about the Saiyan mating ritual, you selfish, cruel, piece of shit!”

Vegeta held his face and kissed him. “Talon…” Vegeta wanted to tell him everything and plead for forgiveness, beg Talon to stay with him, to wait for him on the unlikely chance Vegeta ever returned in any form other than a flayed corpse. Vegeta’s tail throbbed and burned and when he considered being mean to Talon again it felt like it exploded and he yelped.

“Vegeta?” Talon said, clutching his shoulders, briefly startled out of his sobs.

“It’s nothing. Lingering injury from my mission.”

Talon wasn’t buying anything Vegeta was selling. “What the fuck is going on? You’re just lying about everything! Even your meanness feels like a lie and I don’t understand why you would ever do that! I don’t understand, baby,” he wept.

Vegeta kissed him back onto the bed, working down his buttons, but Talon slapped his hands away. “Fucking stop it! You might think of me as your whore, but I’m not! You can’t—“

“I know you’re not my whore, Talon—“

“Right now I feel like less than a whore to you. Gods, and I can’t even keep my earnings. I have nowhere to keep my clothes or my books. Fuck. I’ve been nothing more than your pro-bono whore. Fucking gods, I’m such a fucking idiot…”

“The room is yours, Talon, you can keep all your things here, as always. I bought it from her a long time ago for you, in the event that…that…that anything happened to me. It’s yours. Even if you’re done with me,” Vegeta said, his voice almost betraying his feelings by cracking.

Talon looked into his eyes. “Is…is that what you want? Do you want to be done with me?”

“I didn’t say that! I said if _you_ want to be done with _me_.”

Talon looked so hurt and bewildered and shocked. “I’ve never wanted that until you were so cruel last time.”

Vegeta blew a breath out his nosed and nodded. He wanted to bury his sadness and sorrow and hopelessness in Talon, to make love until the very minute he had to leave. He whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Are you going to treat me that way again?”

Vegeta sighed and held his face in his hands. “I don’t know.”

“What the fuck kind of answer is that, Vegeta? How can you not _know_?” Talon shoved Vegeta off him and stood up, adjusting his suit in preparation to leave, buttoning his shirt back up.

“Please don’t go!” Vegeta croaked out.

Talon covered his mouth again and murmured, “I don’t understand!”

“I can’t promise I won’t be a prick, Talon, it’s just my nature!”

“ _No_ , it _isn’t_. If you’d done this a year ago, I’d believe it, but something in you changed like you flipped on a switch. You’re hiding something and I wish you’d just tell me. You’re lying. And you’ve been broody for the past month or so. What is it, baby? Why won’t you just talk to me?”

“I’ll go. It’s your room now. I won’t lie and say I won’t fuck up again—“

“That was not a fuck up, Vegeta, it was a godsdamned attack! You were _trying_ to hurt me, but what I don’t understand is why! I don’t want you to go, Vegeta, I want you to fucking love me, as you have every other second we’ve been together until last break. Do you even understand how much I love you? And I know you love me too. Or you did…you did…you did, right?” Talon said, his face scrunching up again.

Vegeta almost groaned as Talon finally stopped talking and fighting and trying to understand. He yanked angrily at Vegeta’s clothes. Vegeta undressed Talon, mindful of his suit, still one of Talon’s favorites. Vegeta tried to express the years of love he wouldn’t be able to give Talon in every kiss and caress, in every look he gave Talon, not daring to speak, almost like when they were first together, before Vegeta had dared to admit his love. He had come full circle to hiding it again and trying to push Talon away for his own safety and emotional wellbeing.

They were both crying. Vegeta thrust into Talon, sitting on the edge of the bed and they kissed frantically. Talon wept and whispered, “I love you, baby, I love you. Please, Vegeta, please—“

But Vegeta wouldn’t allow himself to say the words, not again. This was the beginning of the end. It would help Talon learn to hate Vegeta. To let him go. To purge himself of love for Vegeta.

Talon sobbed harder and pleaded, “Vegeta, say it, please say it. Say it was true…even if…even if…oh gods,” Talon choked on his own words until Vegeta cut him off, kissing him, and poured his love into that kiss.

* * *

They spent the rest of their break making desperate love, Talon upset, but seemingly broken and resigned to the belief that Vegeta no longer loved him. They read together, and Talon’s eyes scrutinized Vegeta. Vegeta sat awake both nights, watching Talon, memorizing his beautiful features, brushing his fingertips over his _minaiya’s_ fiery skin so softly that Talon never woke.

He whispered in Saiyan, barely louder than breathing, “Gods, Talon, I love you so much. I’m so sorry that I’m doing this to you. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, the only good thing, ever. But I need to free myself from him, and I wish I could take you, but I can’t. Know that I love you. I will always love you. But hate me, my beautiful _minaiya_ , hate me and move on with your life. Hate me so much that you celebrate when I’m gone.” Tears trickled down Vegeta’s cheeks in the dark and he didn’t bother to brush them away.

Talon startled him, whispering in Namek for a long time.

“What did you say?” Vegeta asked.

“You first,” Talon said, rolling to look at Vegeta, and his eyes glittered in the dark.

“Nothing of consequence. Just thinking out loud. I couldn’t sleep. Sorry I woke you.”

“You didn’t. I was never asleep. You didn’t sleep last night either, Vegeta. Fuck. I wish you’d just tell me what’s going on,” Talon said, took a long shaky breath, and turned back away from Vegeta.

Vegeta feigned sleep after that, and Talon left in the morning without even saying goodbye.

* * *

Their breaks didn’t line up after Vegeta’s next mission, but Vegeta hated the acid taste of their discord that was constantly in his mouth. He left a note in Talon’s office asking him to meet for dinner at their room once he was off for the day.

He came out of Talon’s empty office and walked straight into Raditz. Vegeta needed all his considerable will to subdue his panic and prevent a flush from coming to his cheeks.

Raditz said, “Working out a lead on getting us an appropriate mission?”

“Hopefully,” Vegeta said with a nonchalant shrug.

“Only a few weeks left, Vegeta, get it done.”

“Stop your insolent, impertinent mouth, Raditz, or I will stop it for you.”

Talon appeared around the corner, returning from lunch, as Vegeta and Raditz growled at each other in the hall outside his office. Vegeta hoped Talon would keep walking so Raditz wouldn’t know whose office he’d been in. Talon’s eyes filled with understanding, but it was quickly superseded by flashing, panicky fear. He mastered himself in a blink though and said, “Captain Vegeta? Is there something I can help you with for your mission? I apologize, I was at lunch later than usual.” Talon was pure professionalism, not even a hint of flirtation or their charade. It broke Vegeta’s heart.

“In fact, there is,” Vegeta said, flaring an irritated nostril in Raditz’s direction.

“It will only take me a moment to get my holoboard up again. Please,” Talon said, bowing and opening his door for Vegeta.

Raditz smirked at Vegeta and leered at Talon before walking away.

Once they were in Talon’s office, Vegeta swore colorfully.

“Fuck! Is that what all your moody, mean bullshit is about, Vegeta? Does Raditz know? Why the hell did you even come by? You don’t even like spending time with me when it’s safe, why would you risk this? Coming to my office when I’m not here? Use your fucking scouter, Vegeta. Did you just hope you’d get a quick fuck? Gods! No. Just, no.”

“I did use my fucking scouter, Talon, I was trying to come by when you _weren’t_ here. I was leaving you a note. I just forgot to use it when I was leaving and he caught me by happenstance. Fuck. I was trying to get him away before you came back but the timing and luck was as shitty as possible.”

Talon looked flabbergasted. “What foolish urge possessed you to leave me a _note_? Is that how you intend to dump me, at long last, after crushing my heart and soul to dust?”

“Talon, gods, no, I…I wanted to see if you’d have dinner with me at our room tonight once you were off—“

“No. Fuck. Of course not.”

“What?”

“No. I don’t want to be around you when you’re mean. I feel shitty enough from our last time together. I’m sick of you jerking me around.”

“Talon—“

“No, Vegeta! Maybe your next break I’ll have recovered enough to endure your abuse again, but I can’t tolerate it tonight. Last break sucked. Enjoy this break alone, which seems to be what you want anyway, so I don’t know why you bothered with this note nonsense. I guess maybe as more perfunctory bullshit until you get up the nerve to dump me. I don’t know why you’re having a hard time with it since you can obviously barely stand to be around me and you certainly don’t mind hurting me,” Talon said, looking away from Vegeta, itching at his eyes.

“Talon—“

“I have work to do, Vegeta. It’s been long enough that it’s plausible I helped you with something. So just go. Please,” Talon turned to his holoboard, blinking frantically to stay his tears.

“I…I actually need a favor…if…I know I have no right to ask, but if you’re still willing to change a mission for me…it would, um, put Raditz off the scent of us.”

Talon snorted. “Yeah. _Us_. Like you give a shit about that.”

“Talon—“

“Stop saying my name and tell me the specs, you fucker, so you can get the hell out of my office and leave me to grieve in peace!” Talon clutched his mouth, breathing deeply and clenching his eyes shut, bracing himself on the edge of his holoboard like he thought he might throw up.

“Okay. Okay, can you change my mission to Psytalca to the Nerod system—with just me and Raditz and Nappa? No one else. No supplies. Just three pods.”

Talon’s face and eyes opened up with fear. He hissed, “Why, Vegeta?”

“Just because we’re tired, Talon. Saiyans are bloodthirsty. It’ll put me in a better mood to depopulate a couple planets with actual warriors. There’s a good buyer for them, so Frieza will be pleased. It’ll help me get stronger too.”

“Is that really why?” Talon canted his head, his eyes boring into Vegeta.

“Yes. I need to get stronger faster. It’s…it’s insufferable being as I am.”

“Okay, Vegeta.”

“Thank you. Will you please have dinner with me?”

“No. I need to lick my wounds, Vegeta. You can rend them open on your next break.”

Vegeta wanted to scream and cry, because that would be Vegeta’s last break ever with Talon. He didn’t want to hurt his love anymore, but it was for the best. The best for Talon. In the long run, at least. Vegeta sighed heavily and mumbled, “Very well. Until next break, then. Take care,” and hurried out of Talon’s office before his urge to apologize and say how much he loved Talon won.

Vegeta went to their rooms anyway, to mope and weep in peace, but more than anything, he wanted to wallow in Talon’s scent, to burrow into a pile of his unlaundered clothing for his entire break.

His body shook with his tears as he sat on their balcony, watching the sunset over the lake with one of Talon’s shirts pressed to his nose and mouth, breathing through it, breathing in his _minaiya_ , possibly for the last time. Contemplating a year or two without his love, at the very least, he ached, but the thought of a lifetime without Talon made his whole body burn like he was dissolving in acid. His tail drooped listlessly on the ground, only occasionally moving to slink through the fabric of Talon’s shirt, then flopping tiredly back on the ground, weak and painful.

He choked out, “Gods, what the fuck have I done, tail?” but his own tail flicked away from his touch.

Vegeta startled as hands slid down over his shoulders and onto his pecs and lips kissed down the nape of his neck.

“Oh, baby, you are such a fucking idiot…” Talon whispered in his ear.

“Talon?” Vegeta croaked, “What…what are you doing here?” He tried awkwardly to hide what he’d been doing, but Talon had seen and looked at him with pity.

“I can’t stay away from you, Vegeta,” he murmured, kissing Vegeta’s mouth as he moved lithely to straddle Vegeta’s lap. Vegeta’s tail whipped around Talon’s waist, nudging and burrowing where Talon’s shirt was tucked into his pants, trying to find a foothold to reveal bare skin. Talon absently untucked his shirt and trailed his claws along the skin under the fur. “Plus, I missed your tail. It still loves me, even if you’re pretending not to love me anymore.”

Vegeta, stupidly, helplessly, nodded.

“Vegeta, baby, why are you pretending not to love me?”

Vegeta kissed him. Kissed him and kissed him and kissed him until Talon was begging. Vegeta carried him inside and undressed him tenderly, unable to stop crying, smelling and tasting every inch of Talon’s skin. “Talon,” he whispered and sobbed, “Oh, gods, Talon…” Vegeta kissed Talon’s mouth more. 

He ran his hands over Talon, held his face to kiss him before trailing them down to his nipples and caressing down his flanks to his hips. He threw Talon’s legs wide and took Talon’s rigid prick in his mouth, groaning.

“Fuck, baby, not that you don’t feel divine, but please use your mouth to talk to me—“

But Vegeta used his mouth to slide up and down Talon’s length, sucking hard, curling his tongue around the edge of his head, and he lapped at Talon’s pre-cum as it beaded out of his slit. Talon panted until he arched hard into Vegeta’s mouth, wailing with his release.

He gasped, recovering, “Now…now can you please talk to me?”

Vegeta sucked each of Talon’s balls before lifting Talon’s hips enough to tip him so his testicles slid out of Vegeta’s way. His tongue ran along the shallow furrow of Talon’s _theadur_ and Talon groaned, “Fuck…Vegeta…I…” But Vegeta sucked the exterior hard, which drove Talon wild, then he plunged his tongue hard into his love, maintaining suction as best he could while thrusting, more difficult as Talon writhed, but Vegeta wanted to do anything to ease his _minaiya’s_ suffering, and he needed it too, needed to remember this bliss, the wonderful taste and texture and heat of Talon on his mouth, on his tongue, on his breath.

Vegeta teased it a little, withdrawing his tongue now that Talon wasn’t trying to draw him into conversation. When he drove his tongue into his glowing love again, Talon’s thighs clamped tightly on his head and he begged, “I…Vegeta…oh please. Holy shit, I love you so much, please, I need you to love me back, please love me, Vegeta!”

Vegeta wouldn’t say the words, but he nodded enthusiastically, licked his love more, fucked Talon’s sheath with his tongue until it spasmed wildly, coming hard on Vegeta’s mouth, and making Talon roar with pleasure, even as he wept. Vegeta wept too.

No matter how often he saw it, Vegeta marveled at Talon’s beautiful bioluminescence. He thrust two fingers inside Talon’s velvety heat, still clenching from his climax, and pushed them deeper into Talon, whose eyes popped open and searched Vegeta’s. Vegeta ran his other hand over the pulsing, beautiful light of his lover’s skin, admiring him. Trying to commit every bit to memory for the long, lonely road ahead. The long, lonely life.

“Baby…I…you can’t…I can’t…”

“Please, _minaiya_ ,” Vegeta whispered, hating himself for using the endearment when he meant to crush Talon. Thinking how much each word of love would add to Talon’s heartbreak.

Talon gasped and curled up to kiss Vegeta deeply as Vegeta slid a third finger inside his Namek love. Talon groaned, “Shit, Vegeta, are you trying—“

“Yes, I am…” Vegeta murmured, putting his mouth back on Talon’s, taking more from his mouth, giving Talon his love via kisses if not through speech. Talon panted and writhed and squirmed and bucked toward Vegeta’s hand. Vegeta loved the heat of his lithe, pretty lover in his arms and on his fingers. On his cock. He ached to fuck Talon’s _theadur_ , to mark and claim him, so that if Vegeta ever made it back to his _minaiya_ , Talon would have to be with Vegeta, he would be compelled. Unable to resist. But that wouldn’t be fair to his love. His sweet, sexy, smart, wonderful, funny, and so forgiving, always so forgiving, love. Tears filled Vegeta’s eyes again.

“Please stay with me, Vegeta,” Talon gasped, and for a moment, Vegeta thought that Talon had read his mind, as he had heard some Nameks could, but Talon continued, “Please, don’t let your mind go where it’s been going, please, not right now…give me this, please, Vegeta, baby, please…” Tears welled in Talon’s eyes too.

Vegeta nodded again and focused on Talon, let his eyes speak what his mouth couldn’t, what he shouldn’t even speak with his eyes, but he needed Talon to know, in the end, that Vegeta had loved him so much. To the bitter end, Vegeta would love him. He stared down into Talon and hoped that all the fire of his love was in that look. He carefully plunged his whole fist inside Talon’s sheath, twisting his wrist the way Talon loved. Talon’s eyes spilled more tears and they were wide and pleading until they scrunched shut with the ecstasy Vegeta brought him. The catastrophic orgasm clenched so hard on Vegeta’s hand that he almost came himself and his knuckles popped inside Talon.

Talon screamed his name, begged Vegeta to fuck him, but Vegeta left his fist inside Talon as he carefully rolled him onto his belly and spread his ass wide, already working his hand to bring Talon off in his _theadur_ again. He thrust his tongue onto Talon’s bud. Talon wailed and pushed back toward Vegeta’s face, still crying, and Vegeta’s tears dripped onto Talon’s perfect, petite ass.

Vegeta let his tongue trail up Talon’s taint to his _theadur_ before plunging back into rimming Talon. Everything—every lick, every caress, every word—felt so important to Vegeta. He realized, with more tears breaking free, that he might never be happy again, and he wished he could bury the part of him that couldn’t stand subservience, instead of burying the part of him—the whole of him—that loved Talon. Talon made him happy, but subservience was killing him. And Vegeta was nothing if not selfish: he wanted to live.

He twisted his tongue against Talon’s pucker and reached underneath him with his hand that wasn’t inside his _minaiya_. Talon’s pre-cum and the remaining saliva made him slick enough that Vegeta could stroke his cock. Talon trembled as he moved his hands in time, his bud twitching against Vegeta’s mouth.

“Vegeta…please…I love you…” Talon gasped. Vegeta moved his hands the way he knew Talon loved, rimmed him more deeply, and Talon came for him again. Talon sobbed into the bed, even as his body seized and tensed with its release.

Vegeta laid down and pulled Talon onto his chest, kissed him through his sobs. Talon shook with tears for a long time before lubing Vegeta and climbing on top of him, riding him languidly.

“I can’t believe you don’t love me anymore, you fucker! I love you. I love you forever, Vegeta. Oh, _atheanna_ , how can you break your _minaiya’s_ heart like this? How can you tear me apart?”

“My heart, oh fuck, my _minaiya_ ,” Vegeta whispered and sat up to hide his face, but also to stop looking at Talon’s anguished expression.

“Holy shit, Raditz was right! You’re in love! That’s why you’ve been stalling!”

Vegeta rolled Talon off himself like lightning. In a flash he was up in fighting stance, ready to protect his love. Nappa floated outside their balcony, the doors carelessly left open in Vegeta’s lust, and his eyes were wide. Vegeta hated himself for being so careless and stupid, of course Raditz would have either him or Talon followed.

“What the fuck are you doing here here, Nappa?” Vegeta hissed, stepping out onto the balcony and closing the door behind himself.

“Seeing what the hell has been distracting you! It’s not like you to dither, boss. We knew something was up. Now we know what,” Nappa said with a little snort and a raised eyebrow.

“I’m getting our mission changed and you’re not helping! How else did you think I was going to manage that? He’s a base liaison!”

“I _heard_ you, boss. I heard what you called him, and I watched for a while, he talks like this is not a new arrangement. He dresses like this is not a new arrangement. His jewelry looks like this is not a new arrangement. Have you told him? Fuck, boss, that’s a huge liability! We can’t have him behind snitching on us, and we can’t take him with us! We’d never even make it out of this system if some base-bitch traveled with us! Talk about red flags!”

Vegeta attacked Nappa savagely. He couldn’t tell the idiot never to call Talon that, or any other pejorative, again because that would reveal how important Talon was to him. He pummeled Nappa until Raditz slammed into him. Vegeta wrecked them both, beating them mercilessly until they were both bloodied and broken in the courtyard outside the boarding house. He was thankful it was too late to draw much attention: people would assume it was just another drunken brawl between soldiers.

Once neither had any fight left in them, Vegeta stood over them and breathing hard, nude and slick with blood and sweat. He spit on each of them.

“The plan goes ahead as we discussed, you fucking meddling assholes,” Vegeta bit out.

“I knew you were sneaking around,” Raditz wheezed through his broken ribs.

“You fucking cunt, nothing has changed just because I’m getting laid! Now get your worthless asses to the healing tanks so you’re ready by tomorrow morning.”

Nappa interjected weakly, “Raddy, he called that fucking Namek ‘ _minaiya_!’”

“Fucking hell, Vegeta! You’re going to ruin everything! He can’t come with us!”

“Don’t you think I fucking know that?!” Vegeta, to his great humiliation, sobbed, “Don’t you think I fucking know!? You assholes! You fucking selfish, godsdamned, weak, useless assholes! I only wanted a little more time. A tiny sliver of my life, you fucking pieces of shit! Gods! I got our mission changed. We leave for Nerod after our next break.” Vegeta deflated, his heart breaking to tell them. To say the words. To commit to it.

“You’ll never leave if Nappa’s telling the truth—“

“I’ve deliberately made him hate me so I can’t stay! He’s leaving me! He’s fucking done with me, you miserable shits! My own fucking _minaiya_ is dumping me because I’m committed to doing what we’ve planned. Don’t ever say I didn’t sacrifice for you! I’m giving up _everything_ for you two, for my people, for my only surviving kin! Now fucking leave me alone! I’ll see you plenty the rest of our fucking lives, but I’ll only see him a couple more days!” Vegeta fell to his knees, broken and sobbing.

Raditz and Nappa limped away from him, pity shining in their eyes, even in the dark. He looked up at the balcony, but Talon had stayed inside. Vegeta knocked, as Talon had locked the door. He came out of the bathroom and his eyes went wide as he raced to let Vegeta back into their room.

Vegeta ignored Talon’s questions as he stalked to the shower, tears still wracking his body. He scrubbed the blood off himself, tended to the minor wounds they’d inflicted.

Talon slipped into the shower with him. “Has all this been because they know?”

“What does it matter, Talon?” Vegeta said, feeling completely defeated. Feeling dead inside. Wishing he were dead, rather than face what he had to do.

“It matters to me why you’re rejecting me out the blue, Vegeta! You’re so much stronger than both of them, can’t you scare them into silence? Or buy them off? Would they really snitch? On their prince?”

Vegeta’s laughter was bitter and morphed into more sobs. Talon looked shocked and terrified. As if he knew, and maybe he did, that this might be their last time together. Talon caressed him until he was hard again, wrapped a leg around Vegeta’s waist, put Vegeta’s hand on his other thigh, and murmured, “Let’s finish what we started, huh, baby? That’ll make you feel better.”

It broke Vegeta that after everything he’d done, Talon still cared about Vegeta’s wellbeing. Vegeta croaked, “Fuck…Talon…” unable to meet the eyes of the love of his life. But he clutched Talon’s ass in his hands and drove into him, gasping his love’s name again and again in the steam.

* * *

Vegeta’s heart felt full of fetid, black slime as he walked to their room for the last time. He doubted Talon would even come. Vegeta had hardly spoken to him the morning after their discovery by Nappa. He knew his mouth wouldn’t behave, so he remained silent. 

Vegeta began the horrible process of burying Talon in his mind, telling his heart and his tail that it meant nothing anyway, that he’d been no more than a fun fuck, and that Talon saw him as no more than a sugar-daddy. He wasn’t Vegeta’s _minaiya_. Not that. Because what kind of Saiyan, what kind of man, could leave their _minaiya_? Only a monster. A worthless, soulless, cowardly monster.

The fear he had for Talon’s safety he buried alongside the love, knowing that Vegeta was as powerless to protect Talon here as he would be lightyears away. That Talon’s only hope for true safety was a life without Vegeta. But Vegeta didn’t know about Talon's happiness, couldn’t bear to contemplate what he might be taking from Talon.

He waited in their room with a limp tail, dead eyes, and a broken heart. His eyes in the bathroom mirror scared him they were so flat, like in burying his love for Talon, he’d buried his soul, if he ever had one. If he’d ever had a soul, it had lived for loving Talon, so it was dead now. But perhaps his lack of soul was the reason Vegeta was going to leave his soul-mate.

Vegeta shook with sobs as dark fell. He wanted so badly to say goodbye to Talon, to see him one last time, but he knew that was selfish. If Talon didn’t come, it meant he was done with Vegeta. Vegeta drifted into an emotionally exhausted sleep.

He sprang awake at the sound of the door opening. Talon looked disheveled. Vegeta had never seen Talon disheveled. He didn’t even greet Vegeta.

Talon croaked, “I thought…fuck…I thought I could do it without saying goodbye, but I…” Talon clasped his hand over his mouth for a long moment, “I wanted to say goodbye, even though I knew you’d be a dick. I…so…Goodbye, Vegeta. I…fuck…I love you.”

Vegeta approached him slowly and wrapped Talon in his arms, hugged him tightly, and cried.

“What the hell, Vegeta? How…I just can’t do this crazy whiplashing bullshit. Why are _you_ sad? Isn’t this what you want? To be rid of me?”

Vegeta forced himself to nod, but a keening wail of suffering escaped his throat and his tail held Talon’s thigh so tightly that Talon chastised it, “Don’t you start being mean too!” So his tail brushed tenderly over Talon, draping softly on the back of his neck, touching bare skin, and curled around to brush away Talon’s tears.

They clung to one another. Vegeta kissed all over Talon’s face. He tried to undress Talon, but Talon pushed his hands away, whispering, “Why? Why, baby?”

“Talon…”

“Stop saying my name and answer me, _atheanna_! Why would you do this to me?”

“I’m so sorry!” Vegeta rasped.

“Then why? _Why_?!”

“Goodbye, Talon,” Vegeta said and tried to push away, but his tail slid down around Talon’s slender waist and wouldn’t let go. He shoved his knuckles into his mouth so he wouldn’t plead and blubber and tell Talon how much he loved him.

Talon kissed him frantically and tugged at his clothes. “Fucking fine, you asshole, if you won’t even tell me why you’re hurting me, at least give me a decent farewell fuck!”

He shoved Vegeta roughly back onto the bed, Vegeta’s weight causing a worrisome creak to emanate from the bed.

“I can’t believe you’re hurting your _minaiya_ like this, but I guess I’m not. I’ve always just been your whore. The shine must’ve dulled on your pretty Namek, huh? Off to _less_ green pastures, you miserable, fucking Saiyan!? Gods, I just wish I could hate you!”

“Please, Talon, hate me. Hate me,” Vegeta wept.

“What the actual fuck, Vegeta? Have you lost your mind? Why do you _want_ that? Are you just too big of a coward to end it yourself? I’ve thought you were many things, but never a coward.”

Talon dropped down hard on Vegeta’s cock and raged on him. He dragged his claws down Vegeta’s torso, blood seeping out of the shallow wounds. “I hate you! Is that what you want to hear, you prick? Well, I fucking hate that you’ve been mean to me! I hate the thought of my life without you, Vegeta! I hate it!”

Vegeta, stupidly, still stupefied by his love, nodded. He thrust hard and deep and slow into Talon and they cried together until they came, Vegeta dodging Talon’s kisses, making his poor _minaiya_ sob even harder.

Vegeta assumed Talon would leave immediately or ask Vegeta to leave, but he curled up on Vegeta and fell asleep. Vegeta pressed his lips and nose to Talon’s skull and breathed his scent over and over, trying to lock it away in the tomb he was building around all his other Talon memories. His hand moved lightly, ceaselessly, on Talon’s skin, his tail trailing behind his fingers. No sleep ever came to Vegeta, he wouldn’t give up even a second of his last hours with Talon.

His love slept late and Vegeta was elated, it meant he could just love Talon, not hurt him, for a few more precious hours. When Talon finally stirred, it was well after noon. He had clearly forgotten their rift because he squeezed Vegeta and hummed happily as he burrowed into Vegeta’s chest. He kissed it before he froze and lurched out of bed to the bathroom, where he vomited repeatedly.

Vegeta rushed after him to see if Talon was alright.

“Get out! Leave me alone!” Talon hissed, as he rinsed out his mouth at the sink.

Vegeta hesitated. “Go, go, or just out of the bathroom?”

“Out of the bathroom, at least, you fucker!” Talon choked out, sobbing over the sink.

Vegeta went out and dressed. His mission, his mutiny, his abandonment of Talon, began before dawn the next day. Vegeta would be free of the worst thing in his life and lose the very best thing in one fell swoop. He sat on the edge of the bed and cried. He didn’t bother to pack up his shit. He’d left Talon a lot of cash as well as access to several of his accounts. If Talon already felt like a whore, Vegeta might as well make it worth his love’s suffering.

Talon showered and emerged, looking composed, except his raw, bloodshot eyes. The subtle, occasional quivering of his lower lip.

Vegeta said softly, “I meant it, about the room. And…I…I know you hate me, but if anything happens to me…there’s…I left enough that you’ll be taken care of. I hope that makes up for some of the suffering I’ve caused you.”

“Money doesn’t make me feel less used, Vegeta! Gods, you’re such an—“

“I fucking know that! I want to make sure you’re okay! That you don’t want for anything! I want to make sure you’re taken care of, since I obviously failed to do so!”

“That’s not true! You’ve always taken care of me, until a few weeks ago when you started this insanity!”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s all yours. Farewell, Talon,” Vegeta said, trying to make himself get up, to go.

“That’s it?! You’re just handing me some cash and ‘farewell’-ing me? Gods, I am just your fucking whore! Maybe be more forthright with your next unwitting whore!” Talon spat, sobbing as he dressed. Vegeta ached at how beautiful he was. The lithe way he moved even when he was completely wrecked.

“I’ll go, Talon, please, stay. The room is yours. I’ll go.”

“But I don’t _want_ you to go! It’s _our_ room!” Talon fell to his knees before Vegeta.

Vegeta said, swallowing the vomit it brought up in his throat to be so cruel, “If you were really my whore, you’d be fucking me right now, instead of whining.”

Talon slapped him hard enough that Vegeta saw stars. He hadn’t expected that of Talon, but he was glad of it. It meant the hate was sinking in, becoming real. Vegeta turned his face and a cruel smirk back to Talon, who breathed hard and looked horrified at his own behavior. Vegeta said, “Tut, tut. Not very whore-like at all.”

Talon laughed bitterly and shoved Vegeta back on the bed. “Fine, you want your little whore? Have your little whore, you disgusting bastard.” Talon pulled Vegeta’s pants down and lubed his flaccid cock. “Oh? Is this why you need a new slut? A new little bitch? I guess I don’t even turn you on anymore. I guess I can’t give you what you want. Or perhaps now that you’ve revealed your feelings, my status in your heart, you’d like to command me to fuck you? Is that what you want, _Captain_? Shall I put my achingly hard prick in your virgin ass? Is that why you’re leaving me? Because I wouldn’t top you?”

“You’re the one leaving me, Talon,” Vegeta said with a shrug, getting hard despite the horror of the situation. Despite the death that spread out from his heart like gangrene.

“Oh, yes, I forgot. Silly me. Well? Do you want me to fuck you? Or are you going to get it up for me one last time?” Talon stripped and started stroking himself with lube, which brought Vegeta’s cock fully to life, even though he didn’t want to do this to Talon. He also couldn’t resist being inside Talon one last time. But to fuck his _minaiya_ with the hate Vegeta saw in his beautiful love’s eyes, it felt worse than death.

“Talon, I think we should just say goodbye,” he whispered, looking away.

Talon slammed down on him, grimacing, having obviously hurt himself. He hissed, “Fuck your little whore, _Captain_. Then you can leave the money on the dresser.”

Vegeta, ashamed of everything, of his lust, of how he’d treated Talon, of his cowardice, gave in to more shame and fucked Talon frantically, bawling like a baby, and never letting Talon kiss him. He came first, which made him sob even harder, but he managed to bring Talon off, even as his love dissolved into completely incoherent tears.

Talon pleaded, “Please, Vegeta, baby, please love me again. I’m begging you to stop your cruelty. Please, please don’t do this to me. I can’t live without you. Oh, Vegeta…Vegeta…Vegeta…please…”

Vegeta let his tail take one final tour of Talon’s body before he said, as venomously as he could manage, “The money’s in the dresser, not on it. I hope that works.”

And Talon slapped him again. And again. Then darted into the bathroom and slammed the door. Vegeta heard the lock click and the thump of Talon falling against it, sobbing, retching.

Vegeta held his mouth, buried his sobs, and pulled up his pants. He left, calling, “Goodbye, Talon!”

“Fuck you!”

Vegeta vomited in the alley, sobbing into his cum-stained shirt. Leaving things like that felt like death. Like suicide. And maybe it was. He nodded to himself and whispered aloud, “You’re dead, Vegeta. You killed yourself in that room. Now act like it,” and he slid a marble slab on top of everything Talon, hid him away. Without Talon, there was no point to anything but this was the only way he could ever hope to exhume their love. To keep it preserved, untouched, in that mausoleum. But until he had freedom, he wouldn’t allow himself to feel sorrow for this misery: he had inflicted it on himself and it was nothing compared to what he’d just done to the best thing in his life.

* * *

Raditz and Nappa both looked shocked to see him on the launchpad. They started to speak but clearly thought better of it.

Vegeta got in Raditz’s face and hissed, “You and your fucking brother better not fuck this up. You have no idea what I’ve given up for you!”

They took off, and even though the orange shirt practically screamed to him, he wouldn't allow himself the luxury of his _minaiya’s_ perfect scent. He told himself that his relationship with Talon had been nothing. He told himself that story again and again and again.

But everything—all their plans, all Vegeta’s training, everything he’d done to Talon—had all been for nothing. Everything went to shit because of that idiot Kakarot. Raditz died by his own brother’s hand, his brother refusing to help them take a stand against their overlord. Nappa was worthless. Vegeta’s only hope was the dragon balls.

The distracting Namek took that from Vegeta, though, leaving him with nothing. The third-class scum took Vegeta’s remaining dignity and his pride, the final, bitter dregs of his hope. The idiot’s friends took Vegeta’s tail, and with it the feel of Talon’s caresses and claws on it, one of the few things he hadn’t been able to entomb. At least that came with a reduction in Vegeta’s constant physical suffering: his tail had never stopped burning and aching in the years since he’d rejected his _minaiya._

Dragging his sorry, tailless ass back to base, his final conscious thought was of the Namek dragon balls, and the tiny, fragile flame of hope they brought for his freedom. The last chance for it to have meant something, that all his own suffering, but more importantly, all of his soldier’s suffering wouldn’t have been for nothing. He needed the wounds he’d inflicted on Talon’s heart and soul to have a purpose or he didn’t think he could bear it.

He feared seeing Talon when he emerged from the healing tank on base: it shamed him to be back empty-handed and still enslaved after what he’d done to Talon. He was ambivalent about the fact that they hadn’t been able to regrow his tail, but he knew how much more that would upset Talon, so he fled to Namek the moment he had shrugged on new armor, hoping it wasn’t too late, since Frieza had gotten the jump on him somehow.

The Earthlings took that from him too. As Vegeta pleaded for Kakarot to end Frieza, all he could think of was his love’s freedom, even if the gigantic Namek had stirred something in him, made him feel less dead inside, making his heart beat for the first time since he’d uttered those initial cruel words to Talon.

Death came for him, and Vegeta thought it was okay, it was what he deserved. And without Talon, why would he bother? The dragon balls were gone, Frieza beat Vegeta so easily Vegeta almost found it amusing that he ever thought he’d had a chance. He should have just asked for Frieza’s blessing and mercy. There was no point to anything. Even if he survived, who else in the universe would ever want the sort of man who could not only leave his soul-mate, but do it in the most callow, cruel, and merciless way? So Vegeta breathed his last breath with relief, his _minaiya’s_ lopsided smile in his mind, escaping the tomb, and sending a last painful throb of love along his final heartbeat.


	8. Epilogue: Talon

All night Talon waited, sitting awake in stunned disbelief that Vegeta would leave things that way. But Vegeta never returned to their room. Talon’s room now.

Talon hurried to base early the next morning, ominous dread in his heart, but the Saiyans left fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, so Talon only saw the flash of Vegeta’s pod as it entered hyperspace. An appropriately disappointing farewell to the only man Talon had ever loved, the only man who had ever broken Talon.

He drifted through life the twelve days of Vegeta’s mission to Nerod. He took leave a day before Vegeta was due back on the off chance Vegeta changed his mind, or recovered from whatever madness had taken over his heart. Talon went to their room and waited. And waited. And waited. He read _Wuthering Heights_ again, somehow feeling there was an answer in Heathcliff, who could be all love or all hatred, in the same way Vegeta had been.

Vegeta’s words came back to Talon, causing him new anguish each time, but when he remembered Vegeta’s face, it was so pained that Talon had known his heart was not in his words. Talon knew it. But he didn’t understand.

Until the fifth day. Still Vegeta hadn’t come and when Talon returned to base, there was uproar: the Saiyans had deserted. Frieza had dispatched pods to track them down. Then Talon understood: everything had been Vegeta’s misguided way of “saving” Talon. Vegeta always had been a patronizing idiot when it came to Talon’s safety and emotional well-being.

Talon felt no surprise when Dodoria came for him. “Lord Frieza wishes to speak with you.”

Talon followed, steeling himself. So someone knew. All their subterfuge and care had been for nothing. Though it was possible they only knew that Talon had changed the Saiyans’ mission, though he’d been very careful and covered his tracks, left messy digital footprints in so many directions that it would be hard to pin down who and when the mission had been changed. Talon had very obliquely framed Zarbon, but it was unlikely that Frieza would buy that.

Talon vowed not to weep. Not to show his terror. Or his disgust as Zarbon’s eyes crawled over him like thousands of earwigs. Talon held himself tall and calm, collected and disinterested.

Frieza crooned, “It has come to my attention that you were something of a favorite of our little Saiyan prince. How heartbroken you must be at his abandonment.”

Talon had a nanosecond when he almost lost his composure at the turn of phrase, “something of a favorite,” as though Vegeta had various whores hidden all over the city. But Talon knew better. So his face stayed neutral, only a few erratic heartbeats. Talon answered, with an easy smile, “He fucked me a few times. He needed a favor. I don’t do favors for free. He’s very good in bed.”

“Yes, I imagine he would be. That little monkey has been fucking practically since I took him when he was a child.”

“Mastery does take time and I’m sure if you ask around base, you’ll find he’s had a great deal of practice.”

Frieza said, “And yet no one but you is bedecked in ice-steel.”

“From my sugar-daddy in the city. He loaned me out to Vegeta,” Talon said with another smile.

“I admire your loyalty to him, misplaced though it is, as evinced by the fact that he left you here, at my mercy. But I know all about your room in the city, I know how you love pretty shirts. I know how you like to be fucked. All it took was one little slip, my pretty Namek, and it was easy to follow your trail. So now is the time for truth. Where was he going?”

“The Nerod system. He wanted to train there. To kill. They wanted a Saiyan buddy mission full of slaughter and mayhem with no backup, no supplies, no logistical plan. Just carnage. He said he’d been bored.”

“Yet they never came back. Why? Where were they going afterwards?”

Talon’s irritation would not be useful. “He’s been a complete asshole to me the past month, he’s hardly said a word that wasn’t an insult. He asked me to change his Psytulca mission to Nerod with just him and the other two.”

“And then?”

“Then what? Then he fucked me, called me a whore, and left.”

“Oh dear me, very poor form for our little prince.”

“Do you think he is a whore, Lord Frieza? Shall I find out?” Zarbon said, his voice making Talon want to vomit.

“You may _not_ use him up, Zarbon. We will need him if our little prince comes home.”

“But I can use him a bit?” Zarbon growled, his fangs glinting from the shadow’s where he stood.

Frieza gave Talon a cold, mirthless smile and said to Zarbon, without turning, “He likes it with his pretty shirts on, Zarbon, so why don’t you go get ahold of one of those. No permanent damage, though, or I’ll neuter you myself.”

Talon breathed carefully, unwilling to show his terror, his revulsion, and his disappointment that all their sneaking had been for nothing. Nothing at all. Talon wondered if Vegeta knew and had left him anyway. Talon thought it didn’t bear contemplation: he would never know.

“I suppose he will come back for you and I will wield you to bring him to heel. We thought you pacified him. Kept him from his arrogant plans. If you don’t bring him round when he returns, Zarbon can use you as long as he can keep you alive.”

“I hate to disappoint, Lord Frieza, but Vegeta was over me. Done with me. I will be of no use to you,” Talon said flatly.

“Shall I let Zarbon use you up now, then? I imagine you’ll be telling him everything you know about our little monkey prince just so he’ll kill you and end your misery. Unlike the monkey prince’s reputation for his carnal prowess, Zarbon has quite a different reputation, though there are few left to speak of it.”

Talon shrugged. He knew Frieza thought he had more information than he did and that nothing he could say would change his fate. So he said as much, “Nothing I do makes any difference now.”

“Have you ever been tortured, my pretty soldier?”

“Yes. And of course I’ll tell you whatever you wish to hear, but that won’t make it any more true. Vegeta may be a piece of shit, but he’s not an idiot. He never would have left me here if I knew where he was going, he would’ve killed me or taken me with. He didn’t even tell me he was planning to desert, let alone where he was going or why. I know he wished to be free. Perhaps he’s just gone to be free.”

“And left you here in with your millions in gifts? Your necklace and earrings that speak of a _minaiya,_ not a whore? I don’t buy it. That one is always plotting. He always ten steps ahead of his capabilities, even if he doesn’t know it.”

“Unfortunately, I didn’t know. So here I am, waiting patiently to be brutally raped by a truly repulsive person while wearing one of the aforementioned gifts from a man I loved who did not love me back and left me to the depredation of those more powerful than me. So you can understand that I _would_ tell you if I knew where he was going. In a heartbeat. That man broke me.”

Talon’s mind raced, wondering if they would understand the import of the books on the shelves in their room. He thought of all the books from the far-distant planet Earth. Why else would Vegeta even know of that planet if he hadn’t been planning to go there? Would Frieza’s men put that together when they tossed the place? Talon constructed an elaborate scheme for Vegeta so once Zarbon was truly eviscerating Talon, he would have something to tell. It would get him killed, in all likelihood, but without Vegeta, he didn’t actually care that much. And if there was one thing he believed in his broken heart, it was that Vegeta would never be back for him, even if he wished he could come back for Talon. He wouldn’t have destroyed Talon so utterly if he’d had any hope of return.

* * *

For two days they didn't allow Talon to go in a healing tank after Zarbon’s imaginative torture. Zarbon finished with him and they put Talon in a cage in the central courtyard on base. They left him naked except his ice-steel. He bled from every orifice, save one, as Zarbon had somehow remained mercifully ignorant of Talon’s _theadur._ Even his urethra bled. More came out of him in other places and other wounds were deeper. Internal. Psychological.

He expected to die when several wounds began to fester. They took him out of the cage once he’d gone septic. The healing tank healed his many physical injuries, leaving him looking unscathed. Talon wished they had psychological healing tanks, for what Vegeta had done to him as much as Zarbon. But Talon took a certain pride in the fact that he had never begged. He had never pleaded for mercy. It infuriated Zarbon. Talon had screamed and blubbered with pain, but he’d never said a word the entire time Zarbon had him, some indeterminate amount of agony-filled time that ended with Frieza saving Talon. It was terrifying that Frieza had more mercy than Zarbon. Or maybe it had only been a ploy: a calculated plan to make Talon reveal all in his gratitude to Frieza. But he’d said no more to Frieza either.

The strangest thing had been the revelation that the physical pain was nothing compared to what Vegeta had done to him. If nothing else, Vegeta could have told Talon to flee at the end of Vegeta’s mission. He could have sent a delayed message if he didn’t trust Talon to wait. But maybe Vegeta had been unable to think of anything but how to best wound Talon. But Talon felt betrayed. He could have gone to ground on Cooler, even if he’d been unable to get offworld.

Talon turned Vegeta’s behavior over and over in his mind as a distraction while Zarbon feasted on Talon’s suffering. But Talon always, regretfully, came to the conclusion that Vegeta thought he had no other path. He had thought he was helping Talon by being so cruel, pushing Talon away so Talon wouldn’t miss him.

Once again, Vegeta had proven how emotionally stunted and ignorant he was. Did he not understand that even if Vegeta had done that and stayed, Talon would miss him? Would still have to get over him? Did Vegeta truly believe that if he made Talon miserable and hateful, that it wouldn’t break his heart? That foolish man. Talon had known from the beginning that he loved a foolish man, but it still startled him sometimes, since Vegeta could be so loving and romantic at times, that Vegeta was such a complete moron about matters of the heart. Talon wished they could have parted with love and tenderness, if they were doomed to parting.

Talon wished that he didn’t quietly hope for Vegeta’s return. For Vegeta to save him. To take him away and apologize for all the harm he had caused. To prevent Zarbon from using Talon up, because Talon truly couldn’t imagine what that would entail. Most of what Zarbon had done defied imagination. But then Talon did think, in his broken, shattered, burned-to-ash heart that Vegeta must not have truly loved him, or he wouldn’t have left. Couldn’t have left.

Then a slow-motion reel of all their time together would roll in Talon’s mind’s eye and he would feel Vegeta’s effervescent, all-consuming, passionate love. It shook Talon, the depth of Vegeta’s misery under Frieza, that he would throw such love away just to be free. Talon was a romantic: he’d rather be caged in love, with his love, than free without. But perhaps Vegeta would find love out there somewhere. Talon, for his part, wasn’t sure he could ever love again. Not like his _atheanna_. Not like his Captain. And as sleep evaded him night after night, he telepathically called to Vegeta and wished him home, futile though he knew it was.

Frieza, but more importantly, Zarbon, hurriedly left Cooler around two years after Vegeta’s mutiny. Rumors flew that he had found Vegeta. But Talon dug quietly in the system and found that they were off to Namek, of all absurd places.

Not long after that, another wildfire rumor whipped through base—Vegeta had returned, mostly dead and de-tailed. Everyone eagerly waited for him to emerge to find out what had become of the other Saiyans and of Frieza and the men he’d taken with him to Namek. Perhaps Vegeta had done it, had defeated Frieza. Talon dared to let a little flame of hope ignite in his heart.

Talon, unfortunately, had restrictions on his movement and couldn’t leave his office until he was off shift. The moment his door unlocked at quitting time, he sprinted for the medical wing. Accosting the doctor, he learned that he had missed Vegeta by mere minutes. Cui was already taking off to follow Vegeta and bring him back. Talon’s heart crumbled from shards into dust when he found out the gossip was true—Vegeta’s tail had been cut off, and they’d been unable to grow it back.

A week or two after that heartbreak, Talon woke up sure he was dying of heart failure, the pain in his chest was so acute and crushing, like Vegeta was sitting on his chest. Or perhaps more accurately, like Vegeta’s corpse was on his chest, because the certainty that Vegeta was dead made him sob. Soldiers in the bunks around him never even stirred when Talon cried or screamed in his sleep: it was a frequent occurrence. They all thought it was the cage and the things that had happened with Zarbon. But more frequently it was the memory of Vegeta’s false cruelty. Vegeta’s abandonment. Or missing Vegeta. A missing he couldn’t shake no matter how many men he fucked. No matter how many times he told himself he hated Vegeta.

The Frieza Force clung to life a long time after Frieza’s supposed destruction along with the planet Namek, but then a cobbled together Frieza returned, bitterly seeking revenge against any and all Saiyans. He kept Talon under even tighter lock and key, even though Frieza tried to torment him with the information that he had killed Vegeta, even if another Saiyan had gotten the best of him in the end.

Yet Talon knew in his heart, confusingly, that Vegeta was alive. Shortly after his midnight premonition, his horror and grief had been rapidly replaced by relief that bloomed out from his _theadur_ so powerfully that he came hard, groaning and unable to resist touching himself to prolong it—it felt exactly as if Vegeta’s fist was inside him—and Talon knew Vegeta was alive. That the death had been a false premonition, his love being alive was the real one. And Talon called out to him, across the universe, called his _atheanna_ home to his _minaiya._

* * *

When things really began to fall apart on the Frieza Force after Frieza left to seek his revenge, Talon began formulating an exit plan. It was more complicated because Frieza had left strict instructions to keep Talon under constant surveillance, even if he could now go where he pleased, always staying in their room when he had a break, and he had never washed the sheets or any of Vegeta’s clothes he’d left behind.

Talon searched the universe mentally for surviving Nameks. Few Nameks had ever emigrated, but he found some, here and there, and spoke with all of them, asked after the Saiyan prince. But it was exhausting work and took time, took practice so he could reach farther and farther into the dark, quiet reaches of the universe.

The day Talon reached a Namek on Earth, he had to stomp down the hope that blossomed in the cold remains of his heart. But then the surly Namek told him that Vegeta was there, alive, trapped shipless on Earth, and unmated. But alive. And perhaps only parted from Talon by a lack of transportation. Talon’s heart soared, regenerating like a phoenix out of the ashes.

Talon packed what he could in his pod, mainly for his own happy memories from the gifts, but also to evoke Vegeta’s memories. And he wanted to look beautiful for Vegeta. He set course for Earth, his heart functioning without pain for the first time in years. His _atheanna_ was alive, and they were free. They were both free, free to be with one another. To be in love. To reveal that love to the world. They weren’t a Captain and a soldier anymore, just an _atheanna_ and a _minaiya,_ they could be mates at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading to the end of the first part of a trilogy that started in the middle! Bear in mind, if you carry on to The Namek (or if you read that first and circled back here) that I wrote The Namek first. I could ret-con it to make sure all the details line up, but it's a good stand-alone now, and I don't want to take that away. Vegeta is not always a reliable narrator, and the cracks begin to show as he lives his life in The Namek.
> 
> I know that people reading OC pairings is kind of a rarity. OCs are so often pseudo-authors or Mary Sues that I tend to find them a little insufferable, so if you read this far, I appreciate you trusting me to give you a real, living character, or at least I hope he feels like a real character to you. He never felt like a Mary Sue or an authorial stand-in for me.
> 
> I had finished The Namek and 85% of No Endings Without Beginnings when I could no longer ignore Talon. He started in The Namek as more of a plot device for Vegeta to be broken-hearted, but he just kept growing and turning into a real character with a real face and a real life and a real story. As he grew, so did Vegeta's relationship with him. I intended to just have a couple flashbacks so people could get a taste of what their life had been, but then more and more memories of their time together just kept happening, and I finally couldn't stifle Talon anymore.
> 
> I posted this story because I fell in love with Talon, but it didn't start out that way. Even when I started writing this, though Talon had grown exponentially from what he started as, I didn't realize what I was getting into with this tale. Vegeta and Talon just took off on their own. 
> 
> Quite often when I write, I have no idea what is going to happen, I just sneak along behind a character and wait to see what the hell they'll get up to. This has led to some unpleasant surprises but also some magic. This story was magic, and tiptoeing along behind Vegeta and Talon like one of Cui's obnoxious little minions was fun. I loved watching them fall in love.
> 
> But then I began to despair. The last two chapters were hell to write. As I went along, it began to break my heart what was going to happen to him, what I knew from the get-go, but I still wanted him to have his time with Vegeta. When I wrote Chapter 7: The End of Forever, it was a little embarrassing because I kept getting choked up and tearing up because I didn't want Vegeta to do what he was doing but I also DID want the events of The Namek to happen. It was awful. I hated to write it. I hated to read it. And I meant to end it there.
> 
> But I felt like Talon still hadn't exactly had his story, because The Captain and the Soldier is still very much Vegeta's story and how he ends up the fucked up mess he is when he finds himself resurrected on Earth. So Since Vegeta has three whole stories (ha! plus all the others I've written about him) I decided to give Talon the final say in this story and send readers on their way into The Namek. I wanted Talon to end with the potential for happiness at least, but you'll have to read the other two to find out who, if anyone, ends up happy.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading this story (and my others, if you have!), I hope you'll let me know what you think, good or bad, and give me kudos if you think they're deserved. This was one of those stories that I would have scratched in the dirt if I hadn't had pen and paper, it just needed out of me that badly, but I'm glad I get to share it here, and I hope that at least a few people enjoyed it!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Vegeta and Talon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25205575) by [dbzkink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbzkink/pseuds/dbzkink)




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